Observing snowmelt dynamics on fast ice in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, with NOAA/AVHRR data and field measurements

Polar research

Marcel Nicolaus¹  Christian Haas²  Jörg Bareiss³  Sascha Willmes⁴ 

[1] Atmospheric Sciences, 1–26 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2EG, Canada;Department of Earth &Department of Environmental Meteorology, Behringstrasse 21, Campus II, University of Trier, DE-54286 Trier, Germany;Department of Environmental Meteorology, Behringstrasse 21, Campus II, University of Trier, DE-54286 Trier, GermanyCorrespondence;Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway

关键词: Climate variability;    remote sensing;    sea ice;    snowmelt detection;    Svalbard;   

DOI  :  10.1111/j.1751-8369.2009.00095.x

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

Temporal snowmelt dynamics on fast ice in Kongsfjorden/Svalbard are studied for the period 1990-2003, using visible and near-infrared channels of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Long-term radiation data from an adjacent Baseline Surface Radiation Network station, as well as extensive glaciological and meteorological field measurements on the melting ice in 2002 and 2003, are used to validate a snowmelt index derived from the satellite data. This study shows that the remote sensing data are in good agreement with the field observations. However, the temporal variability of atmospheric water vapour has an impact on the snowmelt index, and must be accounted for through atmospheric correction. The analysis of long-term satellite data provides valuable insight into the strength and rate of the snowvolume decay, and reveals a strong interannual variability of the snowmelt intensity. However, a precise date for determining melt onset requires clear-sky AVHRR data throughout the onset period.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC