Automated ice-sheet snowmelt detection using microwave radiometer measurements

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Lei Liang, Huadong Guo, Xinwu Li, Xiao Cheng
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2013
• Subjects: Ice sheet; snowmelt detection; radiometer; cross-gradient polarization ratio; wavelet transformation; generalized Gaussian model; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Oceanography; GC1-1581; Greenland; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v32i0.19746; https://doaj.org/article/76ff19dd7c9747c785a41bf5d56bbe9e

Monitoring ice-sheet snowmelt is fundamental to understanding global climate change. A simple and automated snowmelt detection process is critical to the establishment of an ice-sheet snowmelt monitoring system. However, different ice-sheet snowmelt detection methods are based on a variety of thresholding schemes using different melt signals for dry and wet snow; these complicate the regular operation of an ice-sheet snowmelt monitoring. We propose an automated melt signal detection method developed using melt signals derived from the cross-gradient polarization ratio snowmelt detection method over Greenland and the wavelet transformation-based snowmelt detection method over Antarctica. Initial results indicate that the proposed method not only increases computational efficiency, practicability and operability but is also more accurate.