The use of microwave radiometer data for characterizing snow storage in western China

Abstract

In this study a new microwave snow retrieval algorithm was developed to account for the effects of atmospheric emission on microwave radiation over high-elevation land areas. This resulted in improved estimates of snow-covered area in western China when compared with the meteorological station data and with snow maps derived from visible imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite. Some improvement in snow-depth estimation was also achieved, but a useful level of accuracy will require additional modifications tested against more extensive ground data.