Brief communication: Accurate and autonomous snow water equivalent measurements using a cosmic ray sensor on a Himalayan glacier

 The authors examined snow water equivalent (SWE) data from a cosmic ray sensor (CRS) located in the lower accumulation zone of Mera Glacier in the central Himalayas, Nepal, from November 2019 to November 2021. The CRS data closely matched field observations, showing snow accumulation during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, followed by snow ablation in the post-monsoon and winter seasons. COSIPY model simulations indicated significant surface melting, water percolation, and refreezing within the snowpack, aligning with CRS data but potentially overlooked by surface mass balance surveys. Our findings suggest that CRS is effective for determining mass fluxes in various climates, though interpreting total SWE changes requires additional measurements and model analyses to distinguish specific mass fluxes like melting and refreezing.