
IVORI
New insights on the snow cover : from snowflakes to ice sheets, in seconds to centuries
Project lead
IVORI is led by Marie Dumont and Pascal Hagenmueller. Both work at the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (Météo France).
G.R.I.M.P. support
We supported the IVORI-team logistically to help with the transportation of the delicate tomograph from Grenoble (France) to Cambridge Bay(Nunavut, Canada).
Additionally, G.R.I.M.P. has contributed scientifically by dedicating personal to assist with the measurements.
Scientific objectives
Snow is a critical component of the Earth’s climate system, influencing nature and human societies. It evolves into firn and ice, preserving unique climate records. However, current snow models focus on limited physical processes and simplify snow microstructure. IVORI aims to develop a microstructure-based model that includes all key snow and firn variables. The proposal seeks to understand the role of water vapour transport in snow and its impact on the ground thermal regime and permafrost evolution, examine how changes in surface snow microstructure affect firn and ice core records, and assess the contributions of snow-climate feedbacks, including albedo and insulation changes, to past and future snow cover and ground temperature.
Our main contribution was logistical in nature, where we played a key role in ensuring the successful delivery and setup of the tomograph in Cambridge Bay. We helped coordinating the shipping process, ensuring the equipment arrived safely, and were on-site to do the installation. We supported the certification process, ensuring everything met the necessary standards. We have provided two virtual tours: one taken prior to the installation and another after the tomograph was fully set up, illustrating the transformation and successful implementation.