A new snow tracking sensor
Summary
With that in mind, PhD student Mohamed Karim El Oufir, research assistant Anas El Alem, and Professor Karem Chokmani from Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are working on a sensor that can track snow depth daily. Professor Chokmani said that this cheaper type of sensor will make it possible to cover a larger area while keeping travel and labour costs down. It is very important to have data for all layers of snow, particularly for avalanches,” explained Professor Chokamani, a specialist in remote sensing. Because the spectral behaviour of snow is linked to its density, the INRS team has developed sensor technology that uses infrared radiation reflectance. INRS is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres in Québec City, Montréal, Laval, and Varennes, with expertise in strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Urbanisation Culture Société, and Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie.