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Snow cover and snow albedo changes in the central Andes of Chile and Argentina from daily MODIS observations (2000–2016)

Malmros, Jeppe K. ; Mernild, Sebastian H. ; Wilson, Ryan ; Tagesson, Torbern LU and Fensholt, Rasmus (2018) In Remote Sensing of Environment 209. p.240-252
Abstract

The variables of snow cover extent (SCE), snow cover duration (SCD), and snow albedo (SAL) are primary factors determining the surface energy balance and hydrological response of the cryosphere, influencing snow pack and glacier mass-balance, melt, and runoff conditions. This study examines spatiotemporal patterns and trends in SCE, SCD, and SAL (2000–2016; 16 years) for central Chilean and Argentinean Andes using the MODIS MOD10A1 C6 daily snow product. Observed changes in these variables are analyzed in relation to climatic variability by using ground truth observations (meteorological data from the El Yeso Embalse and Valle Nevado weather stations) and the Multivariate El Niño index (MEI) data. We identified significant downward... (More)

The variables of snow cover extent (SCE), snow cover duration (SCD), and snow albedo (SAL) are primary factors determining the surface energy balance and hydrological response of the cryosphere, influencing snow pack and glacier mass-balance, melt, and runoff conditions. This study examines spatiotemporal patterns and trends in SCE, SCD, and SAL (2000–2016; 16 years) for central Chilean and Argentinean Andes using the MODIS MOD10A1 C6 daily snow product. Observed changes in these variables are analyzed in relation to climatic variability by using ground truth observations (meteorological data from the El Yeso Embalse and Valle Nevado weather stations) and the Multivariate El Niño index (MEI) data. We identified significant downward trends in both SCE and SAL, especially during the onset and offset of snow seasons. SCE and SAL showed high inter-annual variability which correlate significantly with MEI applied with a one-month time-lag. SCE and SCD decreased by an average of ~13 ± 2% and 43 ± 20 days respectively, over the study period. Analysis of spatial pattern of SCE indicates a slightly greater reduction on the eastern side (~14 ± 2%) of the Andes Cordillera compared to the western side (~12 ± 3%). The downward SCE, SAL, and SCD trends identified in this study are likely to have adverse impacts on downstream water resource availability to agricultural and densely populated regions in central Chile and Argentina.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Andes, Argentina, Chile, Climate change, ENSO, MOD10A1, MODIS, Snow albedo, Snow cover extent, Time series analysis
in
Remote Sensing of Environment
volume
209
pages
13 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85042728425
ISSN
0034-4257
DOI
10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.072
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
7e7fc10c-838e-4dd3-81bc-5bcfbf4dc1e1
date added to LUP
2018-06-08 13:45:59
date last changed
2022-03-25 02:15:14
@article{7e7fc10c-838e-4dd3-81bc-5bcfbf4dc1e1,
  abstract     = {{<p>The variables of snow cover extent (SCE), snow cover duration (SCD), and snow albedo (SAL) are primary factors determining the surface energy balance and hydrological response of the cryosphere, influencing snow pack and glacier mass-balance, melt, and runoff conditions. This study examines spatiotemporal patterns and trends in SCE, SCD, and SAL (2000–2016; 16 years) for central Chilean and Argentinean Andes using the MODIS MOD10A1 C6 daily snow product. Observed changes in these variables are analyzed in relation to climatic variability by using ground truth observations (meteorological data from the El Yeso Embalse and Valle Nevado weather stations) and the Multivariate El Niño index (MEI) data. We identified significant downward trends in both SCE and SAL, especially during the onset and offset of snow seasons. SCE and SAL showed high inter-annual variability which correlate significantly with MEI applied with a one-month time-lag. SCE and SCD decreased by an average of ~13 ± 2% and 43 ± 20 days respectively, over the study period. Analysis of spatial pattern of SCE indicates a slightly greater reduction on the eastern side (~14 ± 2%) of the Andes Cordillera compared to the western side (~12 ± 3%). The downward SCE, SAL, and SCD trends identified in this study are likely to have adverse impacts on downstream water resource availability to agricultural and densely populated regions in central Chile and Argentina.</p>}},
  author       = {{Malmros, Jeppe K. and Mernild, Sebastian H. and Wilson, Ryan and Tagesson, Torbern and Fensholt, Rasmus}},
  issn         = {{0034-4257}},
  keywords     = {{Andes; Argentina; Chile; Climate change; ENSO; MOD10A1; MODIS; Snow albedo; Snow cover extent; Time series analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{240--252}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Remote Sensing of Environment}},
  title        = {{Snow cover and snow albedo changes in the central Andes of Chile and Argentina from daily MODIS observations (2000–2016)}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/45736826/Sumitted_final_version_Malmros_et_al_RSE_2018.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.072}},
  volume       = {{209}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}