Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures
Glaciers and icefields are critical components of Earth’s cryosphere to study and monitor for understanding the effects of a changing climate. To provide a regional perspective of glacier melt dynamics for the past several decades, brightness temperatures (Tb) from the passive microwave sensor Speci...
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ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2072-4292/6/1/603/ 2023-08-20T04:06:39+02:00 Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures Kathryn Semmens Joan Ramage 2014-01-06 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Remote Sensing; Volume 6; Issue 1; Pages: 603-620 passive microwave melt remote sensing glacier icefield melt regime Text 2014 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 2023-07-31T20:35:24Z Glaciers and icefields are critical components of Earth’s cryosphere to study and monitor for understanding the effects of a changing climate. To provide a regional perspective of glacier melt dynamics for the past several decades, brightness temperatures (Tb) from the passive microwave sensor Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) were used to characterize melt regime patterns over large glacierized areas in Alaska and Patagonia. The distinctness of the melt signal at 37V-GHz and the ability to acquire daily data regardless of clouds or darkness make the dataset ideal for studying melt dynamics in both hemispheres. A 24-year (1988–2011) time series of annual Tb histograms was constructed to (1) characterize and assess temporal and spatial trends in melt patterns, (2) determine years of anomalous Tb distribution, and (3) investigate potential contributing factors. Distance from coast and temperature were key factors influencing melt. Years of high percentage of positive Tb anomalies were associated with relatively higher stream discharge (e.g., Copper and Mendenhall Rivers, Alaska, USA and Rio Baker, Chile). The characterization of melt over broad spatial domains and a multi-decadal time period offers a more comprehensive picture of the changing cryosphere and provides a baseline from which to assess future change. Text glacier glaciers Alaska MDPI Open Access Publishing Patagonia Remote Sensing 6 1 603 620 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
op_collection_id |
ftmdpi |
language |
English |
topic |
passive microwave melt remote sensing glacier icefield melt regime |
spellingShingle |
passive microwave melt remote sensing glacier icefield melt regime Kathryn Semmens Joan Ramage Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
topic_facet |
passive microwave melt remote sensing glacier icefield melt regime |
description |
Glaciers and icefields are critical components of Earth’s cryosphere to study and monitor for understanding the effects of a changing climate. To provide a regional perspective of glacier melt dynamics for the past several decades, brightness temperatures (Tb) from the passive microwave sensor Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) were used to characterize melt regime patterns over large glacierized areas in Alaska and Patagonia. The distinctness of the melt signal at 37V-GHz and the ability to acquire daily data regardless of clouds or darkness make the dataset ideal for studying melt dynamics in both hemispheres. A 24-year (1988–2011) time series of annual Tb histograms was constructed to (1) characterize and assess temporal and spatial trends in melt patterns, (2) determine years of anomalous Tb distribution, and (3) investigate potential contributing factors. Distance from coast and temperature were key factors influencing melt. Years of high percentage of positive Tb anomalies were associated with relatively higher stream discharge (e.g., Copper and Mendenhall Rivers, Alaska, USA and Rio Baker, Chile). The characterization of melt over broad spatial domains and a multi-decadal time period offers a more comprehensive picture of the changing cryosphere and provides a baseline from which to assess future change. |
format |
Text |
author |
Kathryn Semmens Joan Ramage |
author_facet |
Kathryn Semmens Joan Ramage |
author_sort |
Kathryn Semmens |
title |
Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
title_short |
Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
title_full |
Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
title_fullStr |
Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
title_full_unstemmed |
Melt Patterns and Dynamics in Alaska and Patagonia Derived from Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures |
title_sort |
melt patterns and dynamics in alaska and patagonia derived from passive microwave brightness temperatures |
publisher |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 |
geographic |
Patagonia |
geographic_facet |
Patagonia |
genre |
glacier glaciers Alaska |
genre_facet |
glacier glaciers Alaska |
op_source |
Remote Sensing; Volume 6; Issue 1; Pages: 603-620 |
op_relation |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6010603 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
603 |
op_container_end_page |
620 |
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1774717897969500160 |