Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications
Gridded snow water equivalent (SWE) data sets are valuable for estimating the snow water resources and verify different model systems, e.g. hydrological, land surface or atmospheric models. However, changing data availability represents a considerable challenge when trying to derive consistent time...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:277d1f5fc17342f183c703afc51524e0 2023-05-15T18:32:31+02:00 Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications S. Jörg-Hess F. Fundel T. Jonas M. Zappa 2014-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 https://doaj.org/article/277d1f5fc17342f183c703afc51524e0 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/8/471/2014/tc-8-471-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 https://doaj.org/article/277d1f5fc17342f183c703afc51524e0 The Cryosphere, Vol 8, Iss 2, Pp 471-485 (2014) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 2022-12-31T12:30:01Z Gridded snow water equivalent (SWE) data sets are valuable for estimating the snow water resources and verify different model systems, e.g. hydrological, land surface or atmospheric models. However, changing data availability represents a considerable challenge when trying to derive consistent time series for SWE products. In an attempt to improve the product consistency, we first evaluated the differences between two climatologies of SWE grids that were calculated on the basis of data from 110 and 203 stations, respectively. The "shorter" climatology (2001–2009) was produced using 203 stations (map203) and the "longer" one (1971–2009) 110 stations (map110). Relative to map203, map110 underestimated SWE, especially at higher elevations and at the end of the winter season. We tested the potential of quantile mapping to compensate for mapping errors in map110 relative to map203. During a 9 yr calibration period from 2001 to 2009, for which both map203 and map110 were available, the method could successfully refine the spatial and temporal SWE representation in map110 by making seasonal, regional and altitude-related distinctions. Expanding the calibration to the full 39 yr showed that the general underestimation of map110 with respect to map203 could be removed for the whole winter. The calibrated SWE maps fitted the reference (map203) well when averaged over regions and time periods, where the mean error is approximately zero. However, deviations between the calibrated maps and map203 were observed at single grid cells and years. When we looked at three different regions in more detail, we found that the calibration had the largest effect in the region with the highest proportion of catchment areas above 2000 m a.s.l. and that the general underestimation of map110 compared to map203 could be removed for the entire snow season. The added value of the calibrated SWE climatology is illustrated with practical examples: the verification of a hydrological model, the estimation of snow resource anomalies and the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 8 2 471 485 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 S. Jörg-Hess F. Fundel T. Jonas M. Zappa Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Gridded snow water equivalent (SWE) data sets are valuable for estimating the snow water resources and verify different model systems, e.g. hydrological, land surface or atmospheric models. However, changing data availability represents a considerable challenge when trying to derive consistent time series for SWE products. In an attempt to improve the product consistency, we first evaluated the differences between two climatologies of SWE grids that were calculated on the basis of data from 110 and 203 stations, respectively. The "shorter" climatology (2001–2009) was produced using 203 stations (map203) and the "longer" one (1971–2009) 110 stations (map110). Relative to map203, map110 underestimated SWE, especially at higher elevations and at the end of the winter season. We tested the potential of quantile mapping to compensate for mapping errors in map110 relative to map203. During a 9 yr calibration period from 2001 to 2009, for which both map203 and map110 were available, the method could successfully refine the spatial and temporal SWE representation in map110 by making seasonal, regional and altitude-related distinctions. Expanding the calibration to the full 39 yr showed that the general underestimation of map110 with respect to map203 could be removed for the whole winter. The calibrated SWE maps fitted the reference (map203) well when averaged over regions and time periods, where the mean error is approximately zero. However, deviations between the calibrated maps and map203 were observed at single grid cells and years. When we looked at three different regions in more detail, we found that the calibration had the largest effect in the region with the highest proportion of catchment areas above 2000 m a.s.l. and that the general underestimation of map110 compared to map203 could be removed for the entire snow season. The added value of the calibrated SWE climatology is illustrated with practical examples: the verification of a hydrological model, the estimation of snow resource anomalies and the ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S. Jörg-Hess F. Fundel T. Jonas M. Zappa |
author_facet |
S. Jörg-Hess F. Fundel T. Jonas M. Zappa |
author_sort |
S. Jörg-Hess |
title |
Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
title_short |
Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
title_full |
Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
title_fullStr |
Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
title_full_unstemmed |
Homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for Alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
title_sort |
homogenisation of a gridded snow water equivalent climatology for alpine terrain: methodology and applications |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 https://doaj.org/article/277d1f5fc17342f183c703afc51524e0 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 8, Iss 2, Pp 471-485 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/8/471/2014/tc-8-471-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 https://doaj.org/article/277d1f5fc17342f183c703afc51524e0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-471-2014 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
471 |
op_container_end_page |
485 |
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1766216635610300416 |