Caractérisation physique multi-instrumentale de la neige de surface en Antarctique

Multi-instrument physical characterisation of surface snow on the continent of Antarctica: measurement of roughness, density, specific surface area, albedo and hardness. Albedo is the ratio of reflected energy to incident energy. This photograph was taken during the ASUMA (Improving the Accuracy of the SUrface Mass balance of Antarctica) expedition. ASUMA is an ANR/IPEV programme under whose auspices a scientific expedition left point D10, a few kilometres from the French Dumont d’Urville base in Antarctica, on 1 December 2016, heading towards the centre of the continent. The goal of this programme is in particular to better understand the current evolution of the snow accumulated on the surface of Antarctica from one year to the next. This would make it possible to reduce uncertainty regarding its current regimen and its possible impact on sea levels. The ASUMA expedition took place in an area still largely unknown from a scientific point of view, because very few measurements have been made on the ground. It is a transition zone between the coast and the Antarctic Plateau.