ESTABLISHING A LIBRARY OF THE SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE OF SNOW ORGANICS AT THE PER-ORGANISM SCALE

Snow organics, including snow algae and other microorganisms, absorb visible and non-visible light and contribute to the reduction of albedo on snow and ice surfaces. With a reduction in albedo, timing and volume of meltwater is affected, which has an impact on a significant population of the Earth who rely on this water resource. Much research has been done at the bulk scale, such as field measurements with a spectroradiometer or satellite data, but little is known about the spectral properties of these organics at the per-organism scale. Using a novel HIMS (hyperspectral imaging microscope spectrometer) method, the spectral reflectance of organics from different locations will be characterized. This information will further our understanding of the exact spectral properties of each of these organics as opposed to bulk readings which can include multiple organics as well as snow and other materials. Researchers will then have an improved understanding of the role these organics have in the global energy budget and timing as well as volume of meltwater originating from snow and ice.