Comparison between DMRT simulations for multilayer snowpack and data from NoSREx report

This paper presents a multilayer snowpack Electromagnetic Backscattering Model (EBM), based on Dense Media Radiative Transfer (DMRT). This model is capable of simulating the interaction of electromagnetic waves (EMW) at X-band and Ku-band frequencies with multilayer snowpack. The air-snow interface and snow-ground backscattering components are calculated using the Integral Equation Model (IEM), Fung et al. [1], whereas the volume backscattering component is calculated by the solution of Vector Radiative Transfer (VRT) equation at order 1. We have applied these models using measurement data from NoSREx report [2], which includes SnowScat data in X-band and Ku-band, TerraSAR-X acquisitions and snowpack stratigraphic profiles. The results of model simulations show consistency with the radar observations, and therefore allow the EBM to be used in various applications, such as data assimilation [3].