Articles | Volume 10, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1897-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1897-2016
Research article
 | 
02 Sep 2016
Research article |  | 02 Sep 2016

3-D surface properties of glacier penitentes over an ablation season, measured using a Microsoft Xbox Kinect

Lindsey I. Nicholson, Michał Pętlicki, Ben Partan, and Shelley MacDonell

Data sets

Penitentes on Glaciar Tapado, Chile L. Nicholson https://sketchfab.com/LindseyNicholson/collections/ penitentes-on-glaciar-tapado-chile

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Short summary
An Xbox Kinect sensor was used as a close-range surface scanner to produce the first accurate 3D surface models of spikes of snow and ice (known as penitentes) that develop in cold, dry, sunny conditions. The data collected show how penitentes develop over time and how they affect the surface roughness of a glacier. These surface models are useful inputs to modelling studies of how penitentes alter energy exchanges between the atmosphere and the surface and how this affects meltwater production.