---
DOAJ_listed: '1'
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: gold
PlanS_conform: '1'
_id: '19369'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Monitoring and estimating mountain snowpack mass over regional scales is still
a challenge because of the inadequacy of observational networks in capturing spatiotemporal
variability, and limitations in remotely sensed retrievals. Recent work using
C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter data from the Sentinel-1 satellite
mission has shown good promise for tracking mountain snow depth over specific
northern hemisphere ranges, although the broader potential is still unknown. Here,
we extend the new Sentinel-1 based modeling framework beyond the northern hemisphere
by only utilizing globally available input data, and evaluate different model
parametrization and model performance over the Chilean and Argentine Andes mountains,
which contain the largest mountain snowpack in the southern hemisphere. The accuracy
of Sentinel-1 snow depth estimates is evaluated against an extensive in situ network
available for the region. Satellite-retrieved snow depth is found to have poorer
performance across the Andes than observed for northern hemisphere mountain ranges
because of greater sensitivity to evergreen forest cover and shallower snowpacks.
The algorithm does offer some skill but performance is variable and site-dependent.
Algorithm performance is best over regions with limited evergreen forest cover
(<15%) and snow depths greater than 0.75 m, although the retrievals over-estimate
snow depth across most sites. Systemic errors for specific snow classes and across
different snow depths are shown, highlighting specific areas in need of further
investigation and development.
acknowledgement: This research was supported by the University of Queensland's PhD
scholarship program, the Australian Research Council under the Future Fellowship
program (Project ID:FT140100977), and the Sustainable Minerals Institute International
Centre of Excellence (Chile). Fiona Johnson is supported by a UNSW Scientia Funding
and ARC Training Centre in Data Analytics for Resources and Environments(Grant IC190100031).
The authors also thank Liliana Pagliero, Maxi Viale and Rodrigo Correa for their
support with obtaining the DGA, SNIH, and Codelco data sets, and the PlanetLabs
research and education initiative for free imagery. Open access publishing facilitated
by The University of Queensland, as part of the Wiley ‐ The University of Queensland
agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
article_number: e2024WR037766
article_processing_charge: Yes (via OA deal)
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: N.
full_name: Bulovic, N.
last_name: Bulovic
- first_name: F.
full_name: Johnson, F.
last_name: Johnson
- first_name: H.
full_name: Lievens, H.
last_name: Lievens
- first_name: Thomas
full_name: Shaw, Thomas
id: 3caa3f91-1f03-11ee-96ce-e0e553054d6e
last_name: Shaw
orcid: 0000-0001-7640-6152
- first_name: J.
full_name: Mcphee, J.
last_name: Mcphee
- first_name: S.
full_name: Gascoin, S.
last_name: Gascoin
- first_name: M.
full_name: Demuzere, M.
last_name: Demuzere
- first_name: N.
full_name: Mcintyre, N.
last_name: Mcintyre
citation:
ama: Bulovic N, Johnson F, Lievens H, et al. Evaluating the performance of sentinel-1
SAR derived snow depth retrievals over the extratropical Andes cordillera. Water
Resources Research. 2025;61(2). doi:10.1029/2024WR037766
apa: Bulovic, N., Johnson, F., Lievens, H., Shaw, T., Mcphee, J., Gascoin, S., …
Mcintyre, N. (2025). Evaluating the performance of sentinel-1 SAR derived snow
depth retrievals over the extratropical Andes cordillera. Water Resources Research.
Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037766
chicago: Bulovic, N., F. Johnson, H. Lievens, Thomas Shaw, J. Mcphee, S. Gascoin,
M. Demuzere, and N. Mcintyre. “Evaluating the Performance of Sentinel-1 SAR Derived
Snow Depth Retrievals over the Extratropical Andes Cordillera.” Water Resources
Research. Wiley, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037766.
ieee: N. Bulovic et al., “Evaluating the performance of sentinel-1 SAR derived
snow depth retrievals over the extratropical Andes cordillera,” Water Resources
Research, vol. 61, no. 2. Wiley, 2025.
ista: Bulovic N, Johnson F, Lievens H, Shaw T, Mcphee J, Gascoin S, Demuzere M,
Mcintyre N. 2025. Evaluating the performance of sentinel-1 SAR derived snow depth
retrievals over the extratropical Andes cordillera. Water Resources Research.
61(2), e2024WR037766.
mla: Bulovic, N., et al. “Evaluating the Performance of Sentinel-1 SAR Derived Snow
Depth Retrievals over the Extratropical Andes Cordillera.” Water Resources
Research, vol. 61, no. 2, e2024WR037766, Wiley, 2025, doi:10.1029/2024WR037766.
short: N. Bulovic, F. Johnson, H. Lievens, T. Shaw, J. Mcphee, S. Gascoin, M. Demuzere,
N. Mcintyre, Water Resources Research 61 (2025).
date_created: 2025-03-09T23:01:27Z
date_published: 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-09-30T10:48:43Z
day: '01'
ddc:
- '550'
department:
- _id: FrPe
doi: 10.1029/2024WR037766
external_id:
isi:
- '001419509100001'
file:
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 8ff09dcae2e508fd72aee80300fc40e2
content_type: application/pdf
creator: dernst
date_created: 2025-03-10T08:16:05Z
date_updated: 2025-03-10T08:16:05Z
file_id: '19377'
file_name: 2025_WaterResourcesResearch_Bulovic.pdf
file_size: 6362563
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2025-03-10T08:16:05Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: ' 61'
isi: 1
issue: '2'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '02'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Evaluating the performance of sentinel-1 SAR derived snow depth retrievals
over the extratropical Andes cordillera
tmp:
image: /images/cc_by.png
legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 61
year: '2025'
...
---
_id: '14487'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: High Mountain Asia (HMA) is among the most vulnerable water towers globally
and yet future projections of water availability in and from its high-mountain
catchments remain uncertain, as their hydrologic response to ongoing environmental
changes is complex. Mechanistic modeling approaches incorporating cryospheric,
hydrological, and vegetation processes in high spatial, temporal, and physical
detail have never been applied for high-elevation catchments of HMA. We use a
land surface model at high spatial and temporal resolution (100 m and hourly)
to simulate the coupled dynamics of energy, water, and vegetation for the 350
km2 Langtang catchment (Nepal). We compare our model outputs for one hydrological
year against a large set of observations to gain insight into the partitioning
of the water balance at the subseasonal scale and across elevation bands. During
the simulated hydrological year, we find that evapotranspiration is a key component
of the total water balance, as it causes about the equivalent of 20% of all the
available precipitation or 154% of the water production from glacier melt in the
basin to return directly to the atmosphere. The depletion of the cryospheric water
budget is dominated by snow melt, but at high elevations is primarily dictated
by snow and ice sublimation. Snow sublimation is the dominant vapor flux (49%)
at the catchment scale, accounting for the equivalent of 11% of snowfall, 17%
of snowmelt, and 75% of ice melt, respectively. We conclude that simulations should
consider sublimation and other evaporative fluxes explicitly, as otherwise water
balance estimates can be ill-quantified.
acknowledgement: This project has received funding from the JSPS-SNSF (Japan Society
for the Promotion of Science and Swiss National Science Foundation) Bilateral Programmes
project (HOPE, High-ele-vation precipitation in High Mountain Asia; Grant 183633),
and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020
research and innovation program (RAVEN, Rapid mass losses of debris-covered glaciers
in High Mountain Asia; Grant 772751). We want to thank in particular T. Gurung,
S. Joshi, J. Shea, W. Immerzeel, and others involved, as well as ICIMOD, for their
efforts over the past years in observing the meteorology of the Langtang catchment,
collecting and organizing the data and making them publicly available. We also thank
the National Geographic Society (Grant NGS-61784R-19) and the Mount Everest Foundation
(reference 19-24) for providing fieldwork funding for C. L. Fyffe. We thank T. Kramer
for help with the WSL Hyperion cluster. We are grate-ful for comments by three anonymous
reviewers and the Associate Editor, who greatly helped to improve the manuscript
further. Open access funding provided by ETH-Bereich Forschungsanstalten.
article_number: e2022WR033841
article_processing_charge: Yes (via OA deal)
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Pascal
full_name: Buri, Pascal
last_name: Buri
- first_name: Simone
full_name: Fatichi, Simone
last_name: Fatichi
- first_name: Thomas
full_name: Shaw, Thomas
id: 3caa3f91-1f03-11ee-96ce-e0e553054d6e
last_name: Shaw
orcid: 0000-0001-7640-6152
- first_name: Evan S.
full_name: Miles, Evan S.
last_name: Miles
- first_name: Michael
full_name: Mccarthy, Michael
id: 22a2674a-61ce-11ee-94b5-d18813baf16f
last_name: Mccarthy
- first_name: Catriona Louise
full_name: Fyffe, Catriona Louise
id: 001b0422-8d15-11ed-bc51-cab6c037a228
last_name: Fyffe
- first_name: Stefan
full_name: Fugger, Stefan
last_name: Fugger
- first_name: Shaoting
full_name: Ren, Shaoting
last_name: Ren
- first_name: Marin
full_name: Kneib, Marin
last_name: Kneib
- first_name: Achille
full_name: Jouberton, Achille
last_name: Jouberton
- first_name: Jakob
full_name: Steiner, Jakob
last_name: Steiner
- first_name: Koji
full_name: Fujita, Koji
last_name: Fujita
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
orcid: 0000-0002-5554-8087
citation:
ama: 'Buri P, Fatichi S, Shaw T, et al. Land surface modeling in the Himalayas:
On the importance of evaporative fluxes for the water balance of a high-elevation
catchment. Water Resources Research. 2023;59(10). doi:10.1029/2022WR033841'
apa: 'Buri, P., Fatichi, S., Shaw, T., Miles, E. S., McCarthy, M., Fyffe, C. L.,
… Pellicciotti, F. (2023). Land surface modeling in the Himalayas: On the importance
of evaporative fluxes for the water balance of a high-elevation catchment. Water
Resources Research. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033841'
chicago: 'Buri, Pascal, Simone Fatichi, Thomas Shaw, Evan S. Miles, Michael McCarthy,
Catriona Louise Fyffe, Stefan Fugger, et al. “Land Surface Modeling in the Himalayas:
On the Importance of Evaporative Fluxes for the Water Balance of a High-Elevation
Catchment.” Water Resources Research. Wiley, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033841.'
ieee: 'P. Buri et al., “Land surface modeling in the Himalayas: On the importance
of evaporative fluxes for the water balance of a high-elevation catchment,” Water
Resources Research, vol. 59, no. 10. Wiley, 2023.'
ista: 'Buri P, Fatichi S, Shaw T, Miles ES, McCarthy M, Fyffe CL, Fugger S, Ren
S, Kneib M, Jouberton A, Steiner J, Fujita K, Pellicciotti F. 2023. Land surface
modeling in the Himalayas: On the importance of evaporative fluxes for the water
balance of a high-elevation catchment. Water Resources Research. 59(10), e2022WR033841.'
mla: 'Buri, Pascal, et al. “Land Surface Modeling in the Himalayas: On the Importance
of Evaporative Fluxes for the Water Balance of a High-Elevation Catchment.” Water
Resources Research, vol. 59, no. 10, e2022WR033841, Wiley, 2023, doi:10.1029/2022WR033841.'
short: P. Buri, S. Fatichi, T. Shaw, E.S. Miles, M. McCarthy, C.L. Fyffe, S. Fugger,
S. Ren, M. Kneib, A. Jouberton, J. Steiner, K. Fujita, F. Pellicciotti, Water
Resources Research 59 (2023).
date_created: 2023-11-05T23:00:53Z
date_published: 2023-10-25T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-09-09T13:15:40Z
day: '25'
ddc:
- '550'
department:
- _id: FrPe
doi: 10.1029/2022WR033841
external_id:
isi:
- '001091989600005'
file:
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 7ba9c87228dc09029b16bc800a0ef1a1
content_type: application/pdf
creator: dernst
date_created: 2023-11-07T08:10:44Z
date_updated: 2023-11-07T08:10:44Z
file_id: '14495'
file_name: 2023_WaterResourcesResearch_Buri.pdf
file_size: 5554901
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2023-11-07T08:10:44Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: ' 59'
isi: 1
issue: '10'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '10'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
record:
- id: '14494'
relation: research_data
status: public
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: 'Land surface modeling in the Himalayas: On the importance of evaporative fluxes
for the water balance of a high-elevation catchment'
tmp:
image: /images/cc_by_nc_nd.png
legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode
name: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
(CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
short: CC BY-NC-ND (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 59
year: '2023'
...
---
_id: '12594'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Information about end-of-winter spatial distribution of snow depth is important
for seasonal forecasts of spring/summer streamflow in high-mountain regions. Nevertheless,
such information typically relies upon extrapolation from a sparse network of
observations at low elevations. Here, we test the potential of high-resolution
snow depth data derived from optical stereophotogrammetry of Pléiades satellites
for improving the representation of snow depth initial conditions (SDICs) in a
glacio-hydrological model and assess potential improvements in the skill of snowmelt
and streamflow simulations in a high-elevation Andean catchment. We calibrate
model parameters controlling glacier mass balance and snow cover evolution using
ground-based and satellite observations, and consider the relative importance
of accurate estimates of SDICs compared to model parameters and forcings. We find
that Pléiades SDICs improve the simulation of snow-covered area, glacier mass
balance, and monthly streamflow compared to alternative SDICs based upon extrapolation
of meteorological variables or statistical methods to estimate SDICs based upon
topography. Model simulations are found to be sensitive to SDICs in the early
spring (up to 48% variability in modeled streamflow compared to the best estimate
model), and to temperature gradients in all months that control albedo and melt
rates over a large elevation range (>2,400 m). As such, appropriately characterizing
the distribution of total snow volume with elevation is important for reproducing
total streamflow and the proportions of snowmelt. Therefore, optical stereo-photogrammetry
offers an advantage for obtaining SDICs that aid both the timing and magnitude
of streamflow simulations, process representation (e.g., snow cover evolution)
and has the potential for large spatial domains.
article_number: e2020WR027188
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Thomas E.
full_name: Shaw, Thomas E.
last_name: Shaw
- first_name: Alexis
full_name: Caro, Alexis
last_name: Caro
- first_name: Pablo
full_name: Mendoza, Pablo
last_name: Mendoza
- first_name: Álvaro
full_name: Ayala, Álvaro
last_name: Ayala
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
- first_name: Simon
full_name: Gascoin, Simon
last_name: Gascoin
- first_name: James
full_name: McPhee, James
last_name: McPhee
citation:
ama: Shaw TE, Caro A, Mendoza P, et al. The utility of optical satellite winter
snow depths for initializing a glacio‐hydrological model of a High‐Elevation,
Andean catchment. Water Resources Research. 2020;56(8). doi:10.1029/2020wr027188
apa: Shaw, T. E., Caro, A., Mendoza, P., Ayala, Á., Pellicciotti, F., Gascoin, S.,
& McPhee, J. (2020). The utility of optical satellite winter snow depths for
initializing a glacio‐hydrological model of a High‐Elevation, Andean catchment.
Water Resources Research. American Geophysical Union. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020wr027188
chicago: Shaw, Thomas E., Alexis Caro, Pablo Mendoza, Álvaro Ayala, Francesca Pellicciotti,
Simon Gascoin, and James McPhee. “The Utility of Optical Satellite Winter Snow
Depths for Initializing a Glacio‐hydrological Model of a High‐Elevation, Andean
Catchment.” Water Resources Research. American Geophysical Union, 2020.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020wr027188.
ieee: T. E. Shaw et al., “The utility of optical satellite winter snow depths
for initializing a glacio‐hydrological model of a High‐Elevation, Andean catchment,”
Water Resources Research, vol. 56, no. 8. American Geophysical Union, 2020.
ista: Shaw TE, Caro A, Mendoza P, Ayala Á, Pellicciotti F, Gascoin S, McPhee J.
2020. The utility of optical satellite winter snow depths for initializing a glacio‐hydrological
model of a High‐Elevation, Andean catchment. Water Resources Research. 56(8),
e2020WR027188.
mla: Shaw, Thomas E., et al. “The Utility of Optical Satellite Winter Snow Depths
for Initializing a Glacio‐hydrological Model of a High‐Elevation, Andean Catchment.”
Water Resources Research, vol. 56, no. 8, e2020WR027188, American Geophysical
Union, 2020, doi:10.1029/2020wr027188.
short: T.E. Shaw, A. Caro, P. Mendoza, Á. Ayala, F. Pellicciotti, S. Gascoin, J.
McPhee, Water Resources Research 56 (2020).
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:12:22Z
date_published: 2020-08-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-28T12:41:45Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1029/2020wr027188
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 56'
issue: '8'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027188
month: '08'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: The utility of optical satellite winter snow depths for initializing a glacio‐hydrological
model of a High‐Elevation, Andean catchment
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 56
year: '2020'
...
---
_id: '12598'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Obtaining detailed information about high mountain snowpacks is often limited
by insufficient ground-based observations and uncertainty in the (re)distribution
of solid precipitation. We utilize high-resolution optical images from Pléiades
satellites to generate a snow depth map, at a spatial resolution of 4 m, for a
high mountain catchment of central Chile. Results are negatively biased (median
difference of −0.22 m) when compared against observations from a terrestrial Light
Detection And Ranging scan, though replicate general snow depth variability well.
Additionally, the Pléiades dataset is subject to data gaps (17% of total pixels),
negative values for shallow snow (12%), and noise on slopes >40–50° (2%). We correct
and filter the Pléiades snow depths using surface classification techniques of
snow-free areas and a random forest model for data gap filling. Snow depths (with
an estimated error of ~0.36 m) average 1.66 m and relate well to topographical
parameters such as elevation and northness in a similar way to previous studies.
However, estimations of snow depth based upon topography (TOPO) or physically
based modeling (DBSM) cannot resolve localized processes (i.e., avalanching or
wind scouring) that are detected by Pléiades, even when forced with locally calibrated
data. Comparing these alternative model approaches to corrected Pléiades snow
depths reveals total snow volume differences between −28% (DBSM) and +54% (TOPO)
for the catchment and large differences across most elevation bands. Pléiades
represents an important contribution to understanding snow accumulation at sparsely
monitored catchments, though ideally requires a careful systematic validation
procedure to identify catchment-scale biases and errors in the snow depth derivation.
article_number: e2019WR024880
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Thomas E.
full_name: Shaw, Thomas E.
last_name: Shaw
- first_name: Simon
full_name: Gascoin, Simon
last_name: Gascoin
- first_name: Pablo A.
full_name: Mendoza, Pablo A.
last_name: Mendoza
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
- first_name: James
full_name: McPhee, James
last_name: McPhee
citation:
ama: Shaw TE, Gascoin S, Mendoza PA, Pellicciotti F, McPhee J. Snow depth patterns
in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite optical tristereoscopic remote
sensing. Water Resources Research. 2020;56(2). doi:10.1029/2019wr024880
apa: Shaw, T. E., Gascoin, S., Mendoza, P. A., Pellicciotti, F., & McPhee, J.
(2020). Snow depth patterns in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite
optical tristereoscopic remote sensing. Water Resources Research. American
Geophysical Union. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr024880
chicago: Shaw, Thomas E., Simon Gascoin, Pablo A. Mendoza, Francesca Pellicciotti,
and James McPhee. “Snow Depth Patterns in a High Mountain Andean Catchment from
Satellite Optical Tristereoscopic Remote Sensing.” Water Resources Research.
American Geophysical Union, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr024880.
ieee: T. E. Shaw, S. Gascoin, P. A. Mendoza, F. Pellicciotti, and J. McPhee, “Snow
depth patterns in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite optical tristereoscopic
remote sensing,” Water Resources Research, vol. 56, no. 2. American Geophysical
Union, 2020.
ista: Shaw TE, Gascoin S, Mendoza PA, Pellicciotti F, McPhee J. 2020. Snow depth
patterns in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite optical tristereoscopic
remote sensing. Water Resources Research. 56(2), e2019WR024880.
mla: Shaw, Thomas E., et al. “Snow Depth Patterns in a High Mountain Andean Catchment
from Satellite Optical Tristereoscopic Remote Sensing.” Water Resources Research,
vol. 56, no. 2, e2019WR024880, American Geophysical Union, 2020, doi:10.1029/2019wr024880.
short: T.E. Shaw, S. Gascoin, P.A. Mendoza, F. Pellicciotti, J. McPhee, Water Resources
Research 56 (2020).
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:12:47Z
date_published: 2020-02-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-28T12:26:14Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1029/2019wr024880
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 56'
issue: '2'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR024880
month: '02'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Snow depth patterns in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite optical
tristereoscopic remote sensing
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 56
year: '2020'
...
---
_id: '12600'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: The snow cover dynamics of High Mountain Asia are usually assessed at spatial
resolutions of 250 m or greater, but this scale is too coarse to clearly represent
the rugged topography common to the region. Higher-resolution measurement of snow-covered
area often results in biased sampling due to cloud cover and deep shadows. We
therefore develop a Normalized Difference Snow Index-based workflow to delineate
snow lines from Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ imagery and
apply it to the upper Langtang Valley in Nepal, processing 194 scenes spanning
1999 to 2013. For each scene, we determine the spatial distribution of snow line
altitudes (SLAs) with respect to aspect and across six subcatchments. Our results
show that the mean SLA exhibits distinct seasonal behavior based on aspect and
subcatchment position. We find that SLA dynamics respond to spatial and seasonal
trade-offs in precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation, which act as primary
controls. We identify two SLA spatial gradients, which we attribute to the effect
of spatially variable precipitation. Our results also reveal that aspect-related
SLA differences vary seasonally and are influenced by solar radiation. In terms
of seasonal dominant controls, we demonstrate that the snow line is controlled
by snow precipitation in winter, melt in premonsoon, a combination of both in
postmonsoon, and temperature in monsoon, explaining to a large extent the spatial
and seasonal variability of the SLA in the upper Langtang Valley. We conclude
that while SLA and snow-covered area are complementary metrics, the SLA has a
strong potential for understanding local-scale snow cover dynamics and their controlling
mechanisms.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Marc
full_name: Girona‐Mata, Marc
last_name: Girona‐Mata
- first_name: Evan S.
full_name: Miles, Evan S.
last_name: Miles
- first_name: Silvan
full_name: Ragettli, Silvan
last_name: Ragettli
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
citation:
ama: Girona‐Mata M, Miles ES, Ragettli S, Pellicciotti F. High‐resolution snowline
delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover controls in a Himalayan catchment.
Water Resources Research. 2019;55(8):6754-6772. doi:10.1029/2019wr024935
apa: Girona‐Mata, M., Miles, E. S., Ragettli, S., & Pellicciotti, F. (2019).
High‐resolution snowline delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover
controls in a Himalayan catchment. Water Resources Research. American Geophysical
Union. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr024935
chicago: Girona‐Mata, Marc, Evan S. Miles, Silvan Ragettli, and Francesca Pellicciotti.
“High‐resolution Snowline Delineation from Landsat Imagery to Infer Snow Cover
Controls in a Himalayan Catchment.” Water Resources Research. American
Geophysical Union, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr024935.
ieee: M. Girona‐Mata, E. S. Miles, S. Ragettli, and F. Pellicciotti, “High‐resolution
snowline delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover controls in a Himalayan
catchment,” Water Resources Research, vol. 55, no. 8. American Geophysical
Union, pp. 6754–6772, 2019.
ista: Girona‐Mata M, Miles ES, Ragettli S, Pellicciotti F. 2019. High‐resolution
snowline delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover controls in a Himalayan
catchment. Water Resources Research. 55(8), 6754–6772.
mla: Girona‐Mata, Marc, et al. “High‐resolution Snowline Delineation from Landsat
Imagery to Infer Snow Cover Controls in a Himalayan Catchment.” Water Resources
Research, vol. 55, no. 8, American Geophysical Union, 2019, pp. 6754–72, doi:10.1029/2019wr024935.
short: M. Girona‐Mata, E.S. Miles, S. Ragettli, F. Pellicciotti, Water Resources
Research 55 (2019) 6754–6772.
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:12:59Z
date_published: 2019-08-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-28T12:14:18Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1029/2019wr024935
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 55'
issue: '8'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR024935
month: '08'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 6754-6772
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: High‐resolution snowline delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover
controls in a Himalayan catchment
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 55
year: '2019'
...
---
_id: '12605'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Snow depth patterns over glaciers are controlled by precipitation, snow redistribution
due to wind and avalanches, and the exchange of energy with the atmosphere that
determines snow ablation. While many studies have advanced the understanding of
ablation processes, less is known about winter snow patterns and their variability
over glaciers. We analyze snow depth on Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, in
the two winter seasons 2006–2007 and 2010–2011 to (1) understand whether snow
depth over an alpine glacier at the end of the accumulation season exhibits a
behavior similar to the one observed on single slopes and vegetated areas; and
(2) investigate the snow pattern consistency over the two accumulation seasons.
We perform this analysis on a data set of high-resolution lidar-derived snow depth
using variograms and fractal parameters. Our first main result is that snow depth
patterns on the glacier exhibit a multiscale behavior, with a scale break around
20 m after which the fractal dimension increases, indicating more autocorrelated
structure before the scale break than after. Second, this behavior is consistent
over the two years, with fractal parameters and their spatial variability almost
constant in the two seasons. We also show that snow depth patterns exhibit a distinct
behavior in the glacier tongue and the upper catchment, with longer correlation
distances on the tongue in the direction of the main winds, suggesting spatial
distinctions that are likely induced by different processes and that should be
taken into account when extrapolating snow depth from limited samples.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: I.
full_name: Clemenzi, I.
last_name: Clemenzi
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
orcid: 0000-0002-5554-8087
- first_name: P.
full_name: Burlando, P.
last_name: Burlando
citation:
ama: Clemenzi I, Pellicciotti F, Burlando P. Snow depth structure, fractal behavior,
and interannual consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland. Water
Resources Research. 2018;54(10):7929-7945. doi:10.1029/2017wr021606
apa: Clemenzi, I., Pellicciotti, F., & Burlando, P. (2018). Snow depth structure,
fractal behavior, and interannual consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland.
Water Resources Research. American Geophysical Union. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017wr021606
chicago: Clemenzi, I., Francesca Pellicciotti, and P. Burlando. “Snow Depth Structure,
Fractal Behavior, and Interannual Consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland.”
Water Resources Research. American Geophysical Union, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017wr021606.
ieee: I. Clemenzi, F. Pellicciotti, and P. Burlando, “Snow depth structure, fractal
behavior, and interannual consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland,”
Water Resources Research, vol. 54, no. 10. American Geophysical Union,
pp. 7929–7945, 2018.
ista: Clemenzi I, Pellicciotti F, Burlando P. 2018. Snow depth structure, fractal
behavior, and interannual consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland.
Water Resources Research. 54(10), 7929–7945.
mla: Clemenzi, I., et al. “Snow Depth Structure, Fractal Behavior, and Interannual
Consistency over Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland.” Water Resources Research,
vol. 54, no. 10, American Geophysical Union, 2018, pp. 7929–45, doi:10.1029/2017wr021606.
short: I. Clemenzi, F. Pellicciotti, P. Burlando, Water Resources Research 54 (2018)
7929–7945.
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:13:31Z
date_published: 2018-06-07T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2024-10-14T12:04:41Z
day: '07'
doi: 10.1029/2017wr021606
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 54'
issue: '10'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1029/2017WR021606
month: '06'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 7929-7945
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Snow depth structure, fractal behavior, and interannual consistency over Haut
Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 54
year: '2018'
...
---
_id: '12637'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: The performance of glaciohydrological models which simulate catchment response
to climate variability depends to a large degree on the data used to force the
models. The forcing data become increasingly important in high-elevation, glacierized
catchments where the interplay between extreme topography, climate, and the cryosphere
is complex. It is challenging to generate a reliable forcing data set that captures
this spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we analyze the results of a 1 year
field campaign focusing on air temperature and precipitation observations in the
Langtang valley in the Nepalese Himalayas. We use the observed time series to
characterize both temperature lapse rates (LRs) and precipitation gradients (PGs).
We study their spatial and temporal variability, and we attempt to identify possible
controlling factors. We show that very clear LRs exist in the valley and that
there are strong seasonal differences related to the water vapor content in the
atmosphere. Results also show that the LRs are generally shallower than the commonly
used environmental lapse rates. The analysis of the precipitation observations
reveals that there is great variability in precipitation over short horizontal
distances. A uniform valley wide PG cannot be established, and several scale-dependent
mechanisms may explain our observations. We complete our analysis by showing the
impact of the observed LRs and PGs on the outputs of the TOPKAPI-ETH glaciohydrological
model. We conclude that LRs and PGs have a very large impact on the water balance
composition and that short-term monitoring campaigns have the potential to improve
model quality considerably.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: W. W.
full_name: Immerzeel, W. W.
last_name: Immerzeel
- first_name: L.
full_name: Petersen, L.
last_name: Petersen
- first_name: S.
full_name: Ragettli, S.
last_name: Ragettli
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
citation:
ama: Immerzeel WW, Petersen L, Ragettli S, Pellicciotti F. The importance of observed
gradients of air temperature and precipitation for modeling runoff from a glacierized
watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas. Water Resources Research. 2014;50(3):2212-2226.
doi:10.1002/2013wr014506
apa: Immerzeel, W. W., Petersen, L., Ragettli, S., & Pellicciotti, F. (2014).
The importance of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for
modeling runoff from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas. Water
Resources Research. American Geophysical Union. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014506
chicago: Immerzeel, W. W., L. Petersen, S. Ragettli, and Francesca Pellicciotti.
“The Importance of Observed Gradients of Air Temperature and Precipitation for
Modeling Runoff from a Glacierized Watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas.” Water
Resources Research. American Geophysical Union, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014506.
ieee: W. W. Immerzeel, L. Petersen, S. Ragettli, and F. Pellicciotti, “The importance
of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for modeling runoff
from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas,” Water Resources Research,
vol. 50, no. 3. American Geophysical Union, pp. 2212–2226, 2014.
ista: Immerzeel WW, Petersen L, Ragettli S, Pellicciotti F. 2014. The importance
of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for modeling runoff
from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas. Water Resources Research.
50(3), 2212–2226.
mla: Immerzeel, W. W., et al. “The Importance of Observed Gradients of Air Temperature
and Precipitation for Modeling Runoff from a Glacierized Watershed in the Nepalese
Himalayas.” Water Resources Research, vol. 50, no. 3, American Geophysical
Union, 2014, pp. 2212–26, doi:10.1002/2013wr014506.
short: W.W. Immerzeel, L. Petersen, S. Ragettli, F. Pellicciotti, Water Resources
Research 50 (2014) 2212–2226.
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:17:01Z
date_published: 2014-03-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-24T08:28:23Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1002/2013wr014506
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 50'
issue: '3'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR014506
month: '03'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 2212-2226
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: The importance of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for
modeling runoff from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 50
year: '2014'
...
---
_id: '12653'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: 'Daily streamflow from stations close to five Swiss glaciers is analyzed for
trends with the Mann-Kendall test. We consider a common period of record (1974–2004)
and longer periods based on data availability. The trend statistical significance
is tested on annual and seasonal bases. We also examine changes in precipitation,
temperature, and snow cover characteristics. Highly glacierized basins show statistically
significant positive trends in annual streamflow caused by increasing streamflow
in spring and summer. Trends are more numerous and stronger at lower and mid than
at the upper quantiles. The basin characterized by lower glacier coverage, conversely,
does not exhibit consistently statistically significant trends. Changes in precipitation
are not sufficient to explain the observed streamflow trends. Air temperature
sees an increase in mean, minimum, and maximum values at all sites. Variations
in the seasonal snow accumulation and ablation process are evident. Solid precipitation
is decreasing at all sites and trends may be due to a shift from snowfall into
rainfall. Mean snow depth is also decreasing, and its duration is getting shorter
because of a decrease in solid precipitation and enhanced melting. Trend magnitude
attenuates with longer time series. Contrasting trends are detected for different
subperiods in the last 70 years: statistically significant negative trends are
observed in the periods 1944–1974 and 1954–1984 for Aletschgletscher, in contrast
with the results for the common period. These trends are explained by different
rates of ice volume changes, and the sign of trends is clearly related to phases
of positive or negative glacier mass balance.'
article_number: W10522
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
orcid: 0000-0002-5554-8087
- first_name: A.
full_name: Bauder, A.
last_name: Bauder
- first_name: M.
full_name: Parola, M.
last_name: Parola
citation:
ama: Pellicciotti F, Bauder A, Parola M. Effect of glaciers on streamflow trends
in the Swiss Alps. Water Resources Research. 2010;46(10). doi:10.1029/2009wr009039
apa: Pellicciotti, F., Bauder, A., & Parola, M. (2010). Effect of glaciers on
streamflow trends in the Swiss Alps. Water Resources Research. American
Geophysical Union. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009wr009039
chicago: Pellicciotti, Francesca, A. Bauder, and M. Parola. “Effect of Glaciers
on Streamflow Trends in the Swiss Alps.” Water Resources Research. American
Geophysical Union, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009wr009039.
ieee: F. Pellicciotti, A. Bauder, and M. Parola, “Effect of glaciers on streamflow
trends in the Swiss Alps,” Water Resources Research, vol. 46, no. 10. American
Geophysical Union, 2010.
ista: Pellicciotti F, Bauder A, Parola M. 2010. Effect of glaciers on streamflow
trends in the Swiss Alps. Water Resources Research. 46(10), W10522.
mla: Pellicciotti, Francesca, et al. “Effect of Glaciers on Streamflow Trends in
the Swiss Alps.” Water Resources Research, vol. 46, no. 10, W10522, American
Geophysical Union, 2010, doi:10.1029/2009wr009039.
short: F. Pellicciotti, A. Bauder, M. Parola, Water Resources Research 46 (2010).
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:18:27Z
date_published: 2010-10-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2024-10-14T12:00:48Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1029/2009wr009039
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 46'
issue: '10'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1029/2009WR009039
month: '10'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1944-7973
issn:
- 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Effect of glaciers on streamflow trends in the Swiss Alps
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 46
year: '2010'
...