Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites
Mid-latitude snow is understudied compared to snow in the northern high latitudes despite its importance as a source of freshwater to this economically significant region. The mid-latitudes provide opportunity to understand the influence on SWE retrievals of ice and vegetation, conditions which may...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2021.1898938 |
| _version_ | 1797661157549408256 |
|---|---|
| author | Aaron Thompson Richard Kelly |
| author_facet | Aaron Thompson Richard Kelly |
| author_sort | Aaron Thompson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mid-latitude snow is understudied compared to snow in the northern high latitudes despite its importance as a source of freshwater to this economically significant region. The mid-latitudes provide opportunity to understand the influence on SWE retrievals of ice and vegetation, conditions which may encroach the north with a warming climate. Successful retrieval of SWE and snow depth was demonstrated using the Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks, adapted for backscattering (MEMLS3&a) with multi-angle Ku-band UWScat snow observations (VV polarization), of agricultural fields in Maryhill and Englehart, Ontario. A single-layer parameterization provided best results for Maryhill (RMSE of 21.9 mm SWE) while a dual-layer parameterization provided best results for Englehart (RMSE of 24.6 mm). Accounting for soil effects using a soil-subtraction method improved RMSE by up to 6.3 mm SWE. Retrievals were repeated with in situ snow depths improving accuracy at both sites (RMSE = 12.0 and 10.9 mm SWE for Maryhill and Englehart, respectively). Observations containing ice lenses and partially buried vegetation yielded a retrieval accuracy of RMSE = 60.4 mm which improved with in situ snow depths (RMSE = 21.1 mm SWE). These results compared favorably with the often-cited accuracy requirement of RMSE = 30 mm SWE. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:40:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc01d159d83641fabb2fe75f06cefaf5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1712-7971 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:40:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc01d159d83641fabb2fe75f06cefaf52023-10-12T13:36:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCanadian Journal of Remote Sensing1712-79712021-01-0147111914210.1080/07038992.2021.18989381898938Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural SitesAaron Thompson0Richard Kelly1Department of Geography & Environmental Management, University of WaterlooDepartment of Geography & Environmental Management, University of WaterlooMid-latitude snow is understudied compared to snow in the northern high latitudes despite its importance as a source of freshwater to this economically significant region. The mid-latitudes provide opportunity to understand the influence on SWE retrievals of ice and vegetation, conditions which may encroach the north with a warming climate. Successful retrieval of SWE and snow depth was demonstrated using the Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks, adapted for backscattering (MEMLS3&a) with multi-angle Ku-band UWScat snow observations (VV polarization), of agricultural fields in Maryhill and Englehart, Ontario. A single-layer parameterization provided best results for Maryhill (RMSE of 21.9 mm SWE) while a dual-layer parameterization provided best results for Englehart (RMSE of 24.6 mm). Accounting for soil effects using a soil-subtraction method improved RMSE by up to 6.3 mm SWE. Retrievals were repeated with in situ snow depths improving accuracy at both sites (RMSE = 12.0 and 10.9 mm SWE for Maryhill and Englehart, respectively). Observations containing ice lenses and partially buried vegetation yielded a retrieval accuracy of RMSE = 60.4 mm which improved with in situ snow depths (RMSE = 21.1 mm SWE). These results compared favorably with the often-cited accuracy requirement of RMSE = 30 mm SWE.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2021.1898938 |
| spellingShingle | Aaron Thompson Richard Kelly Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing |
| title | Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites |
| title_full | Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites |
| title_fullStr | Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites |
| title_short | Considerations for Ku-Band Radar Retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent at Mid-Latitude Ontario Agricultural Sites |
| title_sort | considerations for ku band radar retrieval of snow water equivalent at mid latitude ontario agricultural sites |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2021.1898938 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aaronthompson considerationsforkubandradarretrievalofsnowwaterequivalentatmidlatitudeontarioagriculturalsites AT richardkelly considerationsforkubandradarretrievalofsnowwaterequivalentatmidlatitudeontarioagriculturalsites |