Model:SNOWPACK

SNOWPACK

Also known as
Model type	Single
Model part of larger framework
Note on status model
Date note status model

Incorporated models or components:

Spatial dimensions	1D
Spatial extent
Model domain	Cryosphere
One-line model description	SNOWPACK is a multi-purpose snow and land-surface model, which focuses on a detailed description of the mass and energy exchange between the snow, the atmosphere and optionally with the vegetation cover and the soil. It also includes a detailed treatment of mass and energy fluxes within these media.
Extended model description	SNOWPACK has originally been developed to support avalanche warning (Lehning et al., 1999) and thus features a very detailed description of snow properties including weak layer characterization (Stoessel et al., 2009), phase changes and water transport in snow (Hirashima et al., 2010). A particular feature is the treatment of soil and snow as a continuum with a choice of a few up to several hundred layers. While a main application is still on avalanche warning in countries from Switzerland (Schirmer et al., 2009) to Japan (Nishimura et al., 2005), the applications range from climate change assessments (Rasmus et al., 2004; Bavay et al., 2009) and superimposed ice simulations (Obleitner and Lehning, 2004) to permafrost sensitivity studies (Luetschg et al., 2008) and the simulation of snow storage (Olefs and Lehning, 2010).

Keywords:	snow,

Name	Mathias Bavay
Type of contact	Model developer
Institute / Organization	WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Postal address 1
Postal address 2
Town / City	Davos
Postal code	7260
State
Country	Switzerland
Email address	bavay@slf.ch
Phone
Fax

Supported platforms	Unix, Linux, Mac OS, Windows
Other platform
Programming language	C++
Other program language
Code optimized	Multiple Processors
Multiple processors implemented
Nr of distributed processors
Nr of shared processors
Start year development	2010
Does model development still take place?	Yes
If above answer is no, provide end year model development
Code development status	Active
When did you indicate the 'code development status'?	2020
Model availability	As code
Source code availability (Or provide future intension)	Through web repository
Source web address	https://models.slf.ch/p/snowpack/downloads/
Source csdms web address
Program license type	GPL v3
Program license type other
Memory requirements	--
Typical run time	--

Describe input parameters	It requires the following meteorological parameters: air temperature (TA) relative humidity (RH) wind speed (VW) incoming short wave radiation (ISWR) and/or reflected short wave radiation (RSWR) incoming long wave radiation (ILWR) and/or surface temperature (TSS) precipitation (PSUM) and/or snow height (HS) ground temperature (TSG, if available. Otherwise, you will have to use MeteoIO's data generators to generate a value) or geothermal heat flux snow temperatures at various depths (TS1, TS2, etc if available and only for comparisons, see section Snow and/or soil temperatures)
Input format
Other input format	SMET: https://models.slf.ch/docserver/meteoio/html/smetio.html
Describe output parameters	Snowpack creates various output files: the current state of its soil and snow layers in ".sno" files; the current state of its hazard relevant data in ".haz" files; a time serie of snow profiles; a time serie of the meteorological data and fluxes as used in the model.
Output format
Other output format
Pre-processing software needed?	No
Describe pre-processing software
Post-processing software needed?	No
Describe post-processing software
Visualization software needed?	Yes
If above answer is yes
Other visualization software	The niViz tool

Describe processes represented by the model
Describe key physical parameters and equations
Describe length scale and resolution constraints
Describe time scale and resolution constraints
Describe any numerical limitations and issues

Describe available calibration data sets
Upload calibration data sets if available:
Describe available test data sets
Upload test data sets if available:
Describe ideal data for testing

Do you have current or future plans for collaborating with other researchers?

Is there a manual available?	No
Upload manual if available:
Model website if any	https://www.openhub.net/p/snowpack
Model forum / discussion board	https://models.slf.ch/p/snowpack/

Comments	See also: https://models.slf.ch/docserver/snowpack/html/

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Featured publication(s)	Year	Model described	Type of Reference	Citations
Lehning, Michael; Bartelt, Perry; Brown, Bob; Fierz, Charles; Satyawali, Pramod; 2002. A physical SNOWPACK model for the Swiss avalanche warning. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 35, 147–167. 10.1016/S0165-232X(02)00073-3 (View/edit entry)	2002	SNOWPACK	Model overview	514
Lehning, Michael; Bartelt, Perry; Brown, Bob; Russi, Tom; Stöckli, Urs; Zimmerli, Martin; 1999. snowpack model calculations for avalanche warning based upon a new network of weather and snow stations. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 30, 145–157. 10.1016/S0165-232X(99)00022-1 (View/edit entry)	1999	SNOWPACK	Model overview	278
See more publications of SNOWPACK