AN APPROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF THE SOLAR REFLECTANCE AND TRANSMITTANCE OF A SNOW COVER

Abstract

The transmittance and reflectance of a snow cover has been analyzed by use of the model of a diffusing medium introduced by Schuster. The general case of a slab of finite thickness, irradiated from both sides, is solved and reduced to the case of a semi-infinite slab irradiated from one direction, as an approximation of the radiative component of energy flow in a deep snow cover. The transmission factor of interest for heat transfer within the medium is shown to be different from that obtained experimentally.