Multispectral classification and reflectance of glaciers: in situ data collection, satellite data algorithm development, and application in Iceland & Svalbard

• Main Author: Pope, Allen J.
• Other Authors: Rees, W. Gareth
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Scott Polar Research Institute 2013
• Subjects: Multispectral; Landsat; Glaciers; Remote sensing; Albedo; Classification; Iceland; Svalbard; Langjökull; glacier
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.16313; https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/245061

Glaciers and ice caps (GIC) are central parts of the hydrological cycle, are key to understanding regional and global climate change, and are important contributors to global sea level rise, regional water resources and local biodiversity. Multispectral (visible and near-infrared) remote sensing has been used for studying GIC and their changing characteristics for several decades. Glacier surfaces can be classified into a range of facies, or zones, which can be used as proxies for annual mass balance and also play a significant role in understanding glacier energy balance. However, multispectral sensors were not designed explicitly for snow and ice observation, so it is not self-evident that they should be optimal for remote sensing of glaciers. There are no universal techniques for glacier surface classification which have been optimized with in situ reflectance spectra. Therefore, the roles that the various spectral, spatial, and radiometric properties of each sensor play in the success and output of resulting classifications remain largely unknown. Therefore, this study approaches the problem from an inverse perspective. Starting with in situ reflectance spectra from the full range of surfaces measured on two glaciers at the end of the melt season in order to capture the largest range of facies (Midtre Lovénbreen, Svalbard & Langjökull, Iceland), optimal wavelengths for glacier facies identification are investigated with principal component analysis. Two linear combinations are produced which capture the vast majority of variance in the data; the first highlights broadband albedo while the second emphasizes the difference in reflectance between blue and near-infrared wavelengths for glacier surface classification. The results confirm previous work which limited distinction to snow, slush, and ice facies. Based on these in situ data, a simple, and more importantly completely transferrable, classification scheme for glacier surfaces is presented for a range of satellite multispectral sensors. Again starting ...