This dataset contains albedo data for several varieties of sea ice and snow from 300-2500 nm measured during the SIPEX II voyage (2012). An Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) spectrophotometer records the amount of radiation impingent on a cosine collector, which contains a spectralon diffuser plate. The radiation that hits the diffuser plate is scattered equally in all directions (isotropically). A portion of the radiation incident on the plate is scattered in the direction of a fiber optic cable, which is connected to the ASD. The ASD separates the incoming radiation into 3-10 nm wavelength bins, thus creating a radiation spectrum spanning 300-2500 nm. The cosine collector can be oriented both upwards towards the sky and downward towards the snow and/or sea ice to measure the spectral signature of both the downwelling (from the sky) and upwelling (from the snow/ice) radiation. For each site, we record 5 upwelling and 5 downwelling spectral signatures. MATLAB or a similar analysis package is required to open the spectrum files that are created by the ASD. The ASD files are raw files and named in a sequence, starting with 'spectrum.000'. MATLAB or similar scripts can been written to convert the ASD spectrum data to .mat files. The spectra in the processed files are used to calculate the albedos for various snow and ice types when the ratio of upwelling to downwelling radiation is computed. We use two upwelling scans per one downwelling scan to compute the albedo. Also included is some photography of frost flowers and other examples of ice that was observed.

The snapshot (originally produced on CD for a conference) was produced by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre for distribution to Heard Island expeditioners in the 2003/2004 season. The snapshot contained all publicly available data held by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre related to Heard Island at the time of production. The snapshot also contained all metadata held by the AADC at the time of production. Furthermore, information is also included from: AADC's gazetteer biodiversity database satellite image archive gis shapefiles heard island wilderness reserve management plan Finally, freely available software needed to browse some of the data are also included.