Impact of snow grain shape and black carbon-snow internal mixing on snow optical properties: Parameterizations for climate models

GOS calculations show that, compared with nonspherical grains, volume-equivalent snow spheres show up to 20% larger asymmetry factors and hence stronger forward scattering, particularly at wavelengths 99%.

Based on GOS calculations, BC-snow internal mixing enhances the snow single-scattering coalbedo at wavelengths 99%. Overall, in addition to snow grain size, both BC-snow internal mixing and snow grain shape play critical roles in quantifying BC effects on snow optical properties. The present parameterizations can be conveniently applied to snow, land surface, and climate models including snowpack radiative transfer processes.