Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception
Forests reduce snow accumulation on the ground through canopy interception and subsequent evaporative losses. To understand snow interception and associated hydrological processes, studies have typically relied on resource-intensive point scale measurements derived from weighed trees or indirect mea...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/7/1146 |
| _version_ | 1797571520479887360 |
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| author | Micah Russell Jan U. H. Eitel Andrew J. Maguire Timothy E. Link |
| author_facet | Micah Russell Jan U. H. Eitel Andrew J. Maguire Timothy E. Link |
| author_sort | Micah Russell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forests reduce snow accumulation on the ground through canopy interception and subsequent evaporative losses. To understand snow interception and associated hydrological processes, studies have typically relied on resource-intensive point scale measurements derived from weighed trees or indirect measurements that compared snow accumulation between forested sites and nearby clearings. Weighed trees are limited to small or medium-sized trees, and indirect comparisons can be confounded by wind redistribution of snow, branch unloading, and clearing size. A potential alternative method could use terrestrial lidar (light detection and ranging) because three-dimensional lidar point clouds can be generated for any size tree and can be utilized to calculate volume of the intercepted snow. The primary objective of this study was to provide a feasibility assessment for estimating snow interception volume with terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), providing information on challenges and opportunities for future research. During the winters of 2017 and 2018, intercepted snow masses were continuously measured for two model trees suspended from load-cells. Simultaneously, autonomous terrestrial lidar scanning (ATLS) was used to develop volumetric estimates of intercepted snow. Multiplying ATLS volume estimates by snow density estimates (derived from empirical models based on air temperature) enabled the comparison of predicted vs. measured snow mass. Results indicate agreement between predicted and measured values (R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.69, RMSE ≥ 0.91 kg, slope ≥ 0.97, intercept ≥ −1.39) when multiplying TLS snow interception volume with a constant snow density estimate. These results suggest that TLS might be a viable alternative to traditional approaches for mapping snow interception, potentially useful for estimating snow loads on large trees, collecting data in difficult to access terrain, and calibrating snow interception models to new forest types around the globe. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:42:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b6cc8f324df4fe5924a4cf412487372 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:42:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b6cc8f324df4fe5924a4cf4124873722023-11-19T20:37:03ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922020-04-01127114610.3390/rs12071146Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow InterceptionMicah Russell0Jan U. H. Eitel1Andrew J. Maguire2Timothy E. Link3Department of Natural Resources and Society, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USADepartment of Natural Resources and Society, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USADepartment of Natural Resources and Society, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USADepartment of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USAForests reduce snow accumulation on the ground through canopy interception and subsequent evaporative losses. To understand snow interception and associated hydrological processes, studies have typically relied on resource-intensive point scale measurements derived from weighed trees or indirect measurements that compared snow accumulation between forested sites and nearby clearings. Weighed trees are limited to small or medium-sized trees, and indirect comparisons can be confounded by wind redistribution of snow, branch unloading, and clearing size. A potential alternative method could use terrestrial lidar (light detection and ranging) because three-dimensional lidar point clouds can be generated for any size tree and can be utilized to calculate volume of the intercepted snow. The primary objective of this study was to provide a feasibility assessment for estimating snow interception volume with terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), providing information on challenges and opportunities for future research. During the winters of 2017 and 2018, intercepted snow masses were continuously measured for two model trees suspended from load-cells. Simultaneously, autonomous terrestrial lidar scanning (ATLS) was used to develop volumetric estimates of intercepted snow. Multiplying ATLS volume estimates by snow density estimates (derived from empirical models based on air temperature) enabled the comparison of predicted vs. measured snow mass. Results indicate agreement between predicted and measured values (R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.69, RMSE ≥ 0.91 kg, slope ≥ 0.97, intercept ≥ −1.39) when multiplying TLS snow interception volume with a constant snow density estimate. These results suggest that TLS might be a viable alternative to traditional approaches for mapping snow interception, potentially useful for estimating snow loads on large trees, collecting data in difficult to access terrain, and calibrating snow interception models to new forest types around the globe.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/7/1146snow interceptionlidarcanopyterrestrial laser scanninghydrology |
| spellingShingle | Micah Russell Jan U. H. Eitel Andrew J. Maguire Timothy E. Link Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception Remote Sensing snow interception lidar canopy terrestrial laser scanning hydrology |
| title | Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception |
| title_full | Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception |
| title_fullStr | Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception |
| title_short | Toward a Novel Laser-Based Approach for Estimating Snow Interception |
| title_sort | toward a novel laser based approach for estimating snow interception |
| topic | snow interception lidar canopy terrestrial laser scanning hydrology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/7/1146 |
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