Seasonal multi-scale microwave measurements and modeling of sub-arctic snow for climatological dataset development

积雪在加拿大许多地区持续了很长一段时间，这对地区气候、积雪融化的水文和生态产生了重大影响。尽管这很重要，但对积雪覆盖的测量，特别是在加拿大北部，受到稀少观测的限制。卫星测量可以弥补这一观测差距，但需要开发算法来估计卫星观测的物理参数，如雪水当量(积雪以固体形式储存的液态水的量)。全球气候模型预测冬季降水量增加，而春季融水是一种重要的国家资源，因此我们面临这样一种情况，即关于积雪的信息越来越重要，但传统的观测网络不足，现有的卫星数据集受到高度不确定性的限制。该项目寻求开发新的卫星获取的积雪数据集。卫星数据记录可以追溯到1978年，因此使用新数据开发的技术可以追溯应用，以创建超过30年的时间序列。使用类似于太空中的仪器的地面测量将在整个雪盖季节内获得，以提供所需的“地面真实”观测。这些活动将使加拿大能够作出重要的新测量，以支持未来专门为测量雪而设计的国际卫星飞行任务。

Snow cover persists for long periods of time over many parts of Canada, which significantly impacts regional climate, hydrology through snow melt, and ecology. In spite of this importance, measurements of snow cover, particularly across northern Canada, are limited by sparse observations. Satellite measurements can address this observational gap, but algorithms need to be developed to estimate physical parameters such as snow water equivalent (the amount of liquid water stored in solid form by a snowpack) from the satellite observations. Global climate models predict increases in winter season precipitation, and spring melt water is an important national resource, so we are faced with a scenario where information about snow cover is increasingly important, yet the conventional observation network is inadequate and existing satellite datasets are limited by high levels of uncertainty. This project seeks to develop new satellite derived snow cover datasets. The satellite data record extends back to 1978, so techniques developed with new data can be applied retrospectively to create time series over 30 years in length. Ground measurements with instruments similar to those in space will be acquired over a complete snow cover season to provide the required 'ground-truth' observations. These activities will position Canada to contribute important new measurements to support future international satellite missions designed specifically to measure snow.