Comparative utility of microwave and shortwave satellite data for all-weather charting of snow cover

摘要: Charting snow cover by shortwave imaging requires visual analysis which is complicated cloud coverage and poor surface illumination1,2. Microwaves, however, being almost unaffected clouds independent of solar illumination, are potentially useful for monitoring the extent variation in cover, climatological hydrological studies. Data from spaceborne passive microwave sensors have previously been used to chart regional overland cover3–5; but charting hemispherical was not feasible until high spatial resolution multiple channels were combined Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) launched 1978 on Nimbus-7 satellite. Here we compare SMMR data with images obtained over Asia justify further use automated seasonal under all weather conditions. Agreement between two methods found ∼75% tested grid points.