Effects of artificial snow on the energy balance in the skiing area Schladming

Austrian winter tourism depends strongly on the weather conditions. To counteract climate change, primarily reactive measures, such as artificial snow production are taken. Joanneum research published 2017 research results, which showed a cooling effect on air temperature of artificial snow due to increasing ground albedo. The warming greenhouse effect of emitted CO2 during artificial snow production was compared to the cooling effect of the increased ground albedo and showed that the cooling effect of the artificial snow was higher than the warming effect of the emitted CO2. Assumptions concerning the ground reflexion are in the opinion of the project initiators strongly simplified and therefore insufficient. The aim of the project SnowAlb is therefore to obtain a more realistic estimation of the albedo effect of artificial snow. Models used will take into account multiple reflections between the different slopes and the interaction with trees surrounding the ski slopes. The processes occurring during the winter season (October to April) in the ski resort Schladming will be analysed. The simplified model used in the Joanneum Research study will be compared with a complex radiative transfer 3 dimensional model. Two submodels will be used: one for albedo simulation and one for radiation modelling.