Recommended Variables for CryoNet Stations

Lists of required, recommended and desired measurements have been compiled for each component of the cryosphere and for surface meteorology. They are given below. The lists are not exclusive; other measurements may also be of interest and can be specified in the station/site online questionnaire. At present, only four specific surface meteorology variables are required, in addition to at least one, currently unspecified cryosphere variable. In the future, some or all of the variables that are listed below as recommended may become required. The designation of each measurement as required, recommended, or desired will be specified in the GCW Manual and the GCW Guide, which are currently being developed. Scroll down to the desired cryosphere component.

SNOW/SOLID PRECIPITATION Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Snow on the ground
(According to WMO code 0975:
State of ground with snow or measurable ice cover.)		   M(S)            
Snow depth
(including stake farms and snow courses)		 A(S, G, SI, LRI) M(S)   M(SI, LRI)     M(G, IS)  
Snow depth
(including stake farms and snow courses)		 A(IS, P) M(P)   M(S)        
Snow water equivalent
(including stake farms and snow courses)		 A(S)     M(S)     M(G, IS)  
Solid precipitation
(Requires both amount and type of precipitation to be measured)		 A(S)              
Snow profiles
(density, grain shape & size, hardness, liquid water content, salinity, temperature)		       M(S)     M(IS)  
Snow profiles
(density, grain shape & size, hardness, liquid water content, salinity, temperature)		       M (SI, LRI)        
Depth of snowfall   M(S)            
Water equivalent of snowfall   M(S)            
Snow cover extent A(SI, LRI)     M(SI, LRI)        
Snow chemistry         M(S, IS)      
Snow surface temperature A(S, SI)     M(SI)        
Snow temperature A(S)              
Drifiting Snow A(S) M(S)            
Specific surface area       M(S)     M(IS)  

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

S: snow, G: glaciers, IS: ice sheets, ISV: ice shelves, P: permafrost, SFG: seasonally frozen ground, SI: sea ice, LRI: lake and river ice

GLACIERS and ICE CAPS Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Surface accumulation (point) A         M    
Surface ablation (point) A           M  
Surface mass balance (glacier wide)             M  
Surface mass balance (point) A           M  
Glacier area (glacier wide)               M
Surface accumulation (glacier wide)             M  
Surface ablation (glacier wide)             M  
Basal Ablation (point) A           M  
Glacier thickness (point)               M
Glacier volume (glacier wide)               M
Glacial runoff A              
Calving flux (point)             A/M  
Ice velocity (point)   A         M  
Ice/firn temperature profile (point) A              

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

ICE SHEETS Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Surface accumulation (point)   A       M    
Surface ablation (point)   A         M  
Surface mass balance (point)   A         M  
Ice sheet thickness (point)               M
Ice velocity (point)         A      
Ice/firn temperature profile (point) A              

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

ICE SHELVES Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Basal Ablation             A/M  
Ice Velocity   A         M  

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

ICEBERGS Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Iceberg position     M          
Iceberg form, size     M          
Concentration (distance) of icebergs     M          
Iceberg motion   A,M            
Iceberg height (above the sea)   A,M            
Iceberg width, length (at waterline)   A,M            
Iceberg draft       A        
Underwater 3-D form       A        

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

PERMAFROST Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Ground temperature A              
Active layer thickness   A         M  
Rock glacier creep velocity           M    
Rock glacier discharge M              
Rock glacier spring temperature M              
Seasonal frost heath/subsidence             M  
Surface elevation change               M
Ground ice volume             M  
Coastal Retreat             M  
Soil Moisture   A     M      

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

SEASONALLY FROZEN GROUND Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Ground temperature A              

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

SEA ICE Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Sea ice thickness A     M        
Sea ice freeboard A     M        
Sea ice concentration   A, M            
Sea ice class (pack, fast ice)   M            
Sea ice type (level/rafted/ridged & floe descriptor)   M            
Form of ice (floe size)     M          
Stage of ice development     M          
Sea ice phenomena (dates of freeze-up, fast-ice formation/breakout, melt onset, break-up)     A/M       M  
Sea ice stage of melting   M            
Sea ice openings (leads, polynyas, cracks)   A            
Sea ice velocity A M            
Sea ice deformation (divergence/convergence) A M            
Sea ice ridge height A M            
Sea ice ridge cover (concentration of ice ridges) A M            
Sea ice draft       M        
Sea ice salinity profile (vertical)       M        
Sea ice stratigraphy       M        
Surface temperature (surface-air interface) A              
Sea ice temperature profile (vertical) A     M        

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

LAKE ICE Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Ice thickness A     M        
Ice concentration   A, M            
Ice class (pack, fast ice)   M            
Ice type (level/rafted/ridged & floe descriptor)   M            
Form of ice (floe size, fast ice width)     M          
Stage of ice development     M          
Ice phenomena (dates of freeze-up, fast-ice formation/breakout, melt onset, break-up)     A/M       M  
Ice stage of melting   M            
Areal extent of floating/grounded ice     M          
Ice surface temperature A              
Ice openings (leads, polynyas, cracks)   A            
Ice velocity A M            
Ice deformation (divergence/convergence) A M            
Ice ridge height A M            
Ice ridge cover (concentration of ice ridges) A M            
Ice stratigraphy       M        
Ice temperature profile (vertical) A     M        

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

RIVER ICE Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Ice thickness A     M        
Ice concentration   A, M            
Ice class (pack, fast ice)   M            
Ice type (level/rafted/ridged & floe descriptor)   M            
Form of ice (floe size, fast ice width)     M          
Stage of ice development     M          
Ice phenomena (dates of freeze-up, fast-ice formation/breakout, melt onset, break-up)     A/M       M  
Ice stage of melting   M            
River ice jams and dams   M            
Flooding extent caused by jams and dams   M            
River icings (aufeis)   M            
Maximum level   M            
Areal extent of floating/grounded ice     M          
Ice surface temperature A              
Ice openings (leads, polynyas, cracks)   A            
Ice velocity A M            
Ice deformation (divergence/convergence) A M            
Ice ridge height A M            
Ice ridge cover (concentration of ice ridges) A M            
Ice stratigraphy       M        
Ice temperature profile (vertical) A     M        

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual

SURFACE METEOROLOGY Recommended minimum frequency of observations at CryoNet stations
Variable Timescale
hourly daily weekly bi-weekly monthly half-yearly yearly multi-year
Air temperature A              
Air humidity A              
Wind speed A              
Wind direction A              
Air pressure A              
Incoming shortwave radiation A              
Reflected shortwave radiation A              
Incoming longwave radiation A              
Outgoing longwave radiation A              
Precipitation A              

Yellow shading/fill indicates required measurements for CryoNet stations

Blue shading/fill indicates recommended measurements for CryoNet stations

Green shading/fill indicates desired measurements for CryoNet stations

A: automatic, M: manual