A system for making remote and undisturbed measurements of snow settlement and temperature

One difficulty in studying snow is minimizing disturbance by both instruments and observer. Temperature can be read remotely by means of a thermistor mounted on a movable platter that settles with a particular snow layer. A system is described by using light plastic platters mounted on a guide wire that enables one to determine settlement. Its unique features are that platters can be dropped and their position determined from some distance away (10-300m) and that they are relatively free to settle with the snowpack due to a liquid mercury contact with the vertical guide wire. The system resolves vertical displacement to plus or minus 0.5 cm or 0.1 percent of maximum expected snow depth, whichever is larger. Complete construction details are given by diagrams and photographs. Circuitry for telemetering the information is discussed.