Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt
This paper investigates how the snow-albedo feedback mechanism of the arctic is changing in response to rising climate temperatures. Specifically, the interplay of vegetation and snowmelt, and how these two variables can be correlated. This has the potential to refine climate modelling of the spring...
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ftcityunivny:oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:hc_sas_etds-1709 2023-05-15T13:10:28+02:00 Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt Reckhaus, Lucas C 2020-08-07T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/640 https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1709&context=hc_sas_etds English eng CUNY Academic Works https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/640 https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1709&context=hc_sas_etds School of Arts & Sciences Theses GIS Geography Remote Sensing Snow-albedo feedback Albedo NDVI Snow Vegetation Alaska Arctic Tundra Permafrost Ecoregion Biophysics Climate Databases and Information Systems Geographic Information Sciences Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Hydrology Longitudinal Data Analysis and Time Series Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing Optics Physical and Environmental Geography Programming Languages and Compilers Soil Science thesis 2020 ftcityunivny 2021-04-10T19:17:39Z This paper investigates how the snow-albedo feedback mechanism of the arctic is changing in response to rising climate temperatures. Specifically, the interplay of vegetation and snowmelt, and how these two variables can be correlated. This has the potential to refine climate modelling of the spring transition season. Research was conducted at the ecoregion scale in northern Alaska from 2000 to 2020. Each ecoregion is defined by distinct topographic and ecological conditions, allowing for meaningful contrast between the patterns of spring albedo transition across surface conditions and vegetation types. The five most northerly ecoregions of Alaska are chosen as they encompass three distinct geographic zones: the arctic permafrost, the Brooks Range which forms its southern boundary, and continental boreal forests and highlands beyond this. Findings indicate: 1) surface temperatures warming across all regions. 2) Albedo loss occurring earlier and faster. 3) vegetation growth occurring earlier and stronger. 4) A comparison of BSA and NDVI data shows an inverse relationship between the rate of snowmelt and the texture of a surface—influenced most heavily by vegetation cover. Overall, the snow albedo feedback mechanism of northern Alaska is in precipitous decline. This is reducing the process by which the terrestrial arctic contributes to the earth’s cooling. Thesis albedo Arctic Brooks Range permafrost Tundra Alaska City University of New York: CUNY Academic Works Arctic |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
City University of New York: CUNY Academic Works |
op_collection_id |
ftcityunivny |
language |
English |
topic |
GIS Geography Remote Sensing Snow-albedo feedback Albedo NDVI Snow Vegetation Alaska Arctic Tundra Permafrost Ecoregion Biophysics Climate Databases and Information Systems Geographic Information Sciences Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Hydrology Longitudinal Data Analysis and Time Series Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing Optics Physical and Environmental Geography Programming Languages and Compilers Soil Science |
spellingShingle |
GIS Geography Remote Sensing Snow-albedo feedback Albedo NDVI Snow Vegetation Alaska Arctic Tundra Permafrost Ecoregion Biophysics Climate Databases and Information Systems Geographic Information Sciences Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Hydrology Longitudinal Data Analysis and Time Series Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing Optics Physical and Environmental Geography Programming Languages and Compilers Soil Science Reckhaus, Lucas C Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
topic_facet |
GIS Geography Remote Sensing Snow-albedo feedback Albedo NDVI Snow Vegetation Alaska Arctic Tundra Permafrost Ecoregion Biophysics Climate Databases and Information Systems Geographic Information Sciences Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Hydrology Longitudinal Data Analysis and Time Series Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing Optics Physical and Environmental Geography Programming Languages and Compilers Soil Science |
description |
This paper investigates how the snow-albedo feedback mechanism of the arctic is changing in response to rising climate temperatures. Specifically, the interplay of vegetation and snowmelt, and how these two variables can be correlated. This has the potential to refine climate modelling of the spring transition season. Research was conducted at the ecoregion scale in northern Alaska from 2000 to 2020. Each ecoregion is defined by distinct topographic and ecological conditions, allowing for meaningful contrast between the patterns of spring albedo transition across surface conditions and vegetation types. The five most northerly ecoregions of Alaska are chosen as they encompass three distinct geographic zones: the arctic permafrost, the Brooks Range which forms its southern boundary, and continental boreal forests and highlands beyond this. Findings indicate: 1) surface temperatures warming across all regions. 2) Albedo loss occurring earlier and faster. 3) vegetation growth occurring earlier and stronger. 4) A comparison of BSA and NDVI data shows an inverse relationship between the rate of snowmelt and the texture of a surface—influenced most heavily by vegetation cover. Overall, the snow albedo feedback mechanism of northern Alaska is in precipitous decline. This is reducing the process by which the terrestrial arctic contributes to the earth’s cooling. |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Reckhaus, Lucas C |
author_facet |
Reckhaus, Lucas C |
author_sort |
Reckhaus, Lucas C |
title |
Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
title_short |
Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
title_full |
Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
title_fullStr |
Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snow-Albedo Feedback in Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt |
title_sort |
snow-albedo feedback in northern alaska: how vegetation influences snowmelt |
publisher |
CUNY Academic Works |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/640 https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1709&context=hc_sas_etds |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
albedo Arctic Brooks Range permafrost Tundra Alaska |
genre_facet |
albedo Arctic Brooks Range permafrost Tundra Alaska |
op_source |
School of Arts & Sciences Theses |
op_relation |
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/640 https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1709&context=hc_sas_etds |
_version_ |
1766230663790329856 |