We conducted a controlled experiment to determine effects of surface albedo modification using hollow glass microspheres on ice melt and thermodynamic processes of a pond. Continuous field observations were made of ice thickness, snow thickness, ice, and water temperatures at 1 ft increments of levels in the pond from surface to bottom, ambient temperatures above the ice surface, incoming shortwave and longwave radiation of the test and control sections. The observations were made from January 13, 2021 to March 20, 2021. The pond used for these observations is situated near Lake Elmo, Minnesota, USA. We also commissioned laboratory evaluations of reflectivity and particle size of available hollow glass microsphere products. The field data was collected to experimentally determine effects of surface albedo modification on ice melt and thermodynamic processes of a freshwater pond. In this experiment we applied a coating of reflective hollow glass microspheres to a test section, while leaving a control section unmodified. The data was used to compare the rates of ice melt, albedo and pond water and ice temperatures and energy changes of the test and control sections to determine the effectiveness of the surface albedo modification using hollow glass microspheres.

Arctic Ice Project (AIP, www.arcticiceproject.org) sponsored this project. AIP is an IRS-registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, andnonprofit and wishes to express sincere thanks to all its individual and institutional donors and supporters.