Satellite-derived snow maps from NASA’s Earth Observing System Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) have been produced since February of 2000. The global maps are available daily at 500-m resolution, and at a climate-modeling grid (CMG) resolution of 1/20o (~5.6 km). We compared the 8-day composite CMG MODIS-derived global maps from November 1, 2001, through March 21, 2002, and...

Satellite-derived snow maps from NASA’s Earth Observing System Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) have been produced since February of 2000. The global maps are available daily at 500-m resolution, and at a climate-modeling grid (CMG) resolution of 1/20o (~5.6 km). We compared the 8-day composite CMG MODIS-derived global maps from November 1, 2001, through March 21, 2002, and...

The algorithms for estimating snow extent for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) optimally use the 1.6-μm channel which is unavailable for MODIS on Aqua due to detector damage. As a test bed to demonstrate that Aqua band 6 can be restored, we chose the area surrounding Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. In such rugged and difficult-to-access terrain, satellite im...

MODIS Collection 5 retrieved aerosol optical depth (AOD) over land (MOD04/MYD04) was evaluated using 4 years of matching AERONET observations, to assess its suitability for aerosol data assimilation in numerical weather prediction models. Examination of errors revealed important sources of variation in random errors (e.g., atmospheric path length, scattering angle “hot spot”), and systematic bi...

Degree-day factors are widely used to estimate snowmelt runoff in operational hydrological models. Usually, they are calibrated on observed runoff, and sometimes on satellite snow cover data. In this paper, we propose a new method for estimating the snowmelt degree-day factor (DDFS) directly from MODIS snow covered area (SCA) and ground-based snow depth data without calibration. Subcatchment sn...

Since 2002, global snow water equivalent (SWE) estimates have been generated using Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E)/Aqua data. Accurate estimates of SWE are important to improve monitoring and managing of water resources in specific regions. SWE and snow map product accuracy are functions of topography and of land cover type because landscape characteristics have a strong influen...

Using split window algorithms developed by Sobrino, added a suff icient and simple cloud detection process for MODIS L1B data. Then based on land surface classif ication (land, water, snow & ice), retrieved four land surface temperature images for clear sky in Naqu area over Tibetan Plateau in January, April, June and October in 2007, respectively. After that the derived LST was compared with t...

The objective of this study is to investigate the suitability of remote sensing data to calibrate a distributed hydrological model of a Nepalese Himalayan headwater catchment. Snow cover data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite are used to calibrate the snow and glacier routine of the conceptual hydrological model TAC. The snow cover information is useful to...