Snow Cover Focus Area Contributions to International Structures
GCOS
GCOS target requirements for snow extent were set as follows (GCOS-200) :
| Variable/Parameter | Horizontal Resolution | Vertical Resolution | Temporal Resolution | Accuracy | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow areal extent | 1 km (100m in complex terrain) | N/A | Daily | 5 % (max. error of omission and commission), location accuracy 1/3 IFOV, target IFOV 100m in complex terrain (1 km elsewhere) | 4 % (max. error of omission and commission), location accuracy 1/3 IFOV, target IFOV 100m in complex terrain (1 km elsewhere) |
LPV Snow contributes toward action items T28, T29 (2016 IP, GCOS-200).
The Cryosphere Theme Report of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS 2007) provides detailed specifications on the observational requirements for all elements of the global cryosphere, based on broad consultation of the scientific community.
| Variable/Parameter | Horizontal Resolution | Temporal Resolution | Accuracy | Measurement Range |
| Snow Water equivalent (shallow) | T: 0.5 km G: 0.1 km |
T: 6 days G: 12 hrs |
T: 3 cm G: 2 cm |
T: 0-0.3 m G: 0-0.3 m |
| Snow Water equivalent (deep) | T: 0.5 km G: 0.1 km |
T: 6 days G: 12 hrs |
T: 10% G: 7% |
T: 0.3-3 m G: 0.3-3 m |
| Fractional Snow Cover | T: 0.5 km G: 0.1 km |
T: 1 day G: 12 hrs |
T: 10% G: 5% |
T: 0-100% G: 0-100% |
| Snow Surface Temperature | T: 1 km G: 0.1 km |
T: 1 hr G: 30 min |
T: 1 K G: 0.1 K |
T: 200-275 K G: 200-275 K |
| Snow Albedo (broadband) | T: 8 km G: 5 km |
T: 1 hr G: 30 min |
T: 1% G: 0.5% |
T: 0-100% G: 0-100% |
The Snow Cover focus area of CEOS LPV plays a key coordination role and lends the expertise to address actions related to validation of global snow measurements. Additionally to product validation the intercomparison of snow products with global or hemispheric extent is of high interest. These issues will be addressed by the ESA project SnowPEX.
World Meteorological Organization
WMO GCW – Global Cryosphere Watch
GTOS Snow Cover Documents
Armstrong, R, K. Steffen, M. Monteduro, R. Sessa. 2009. Snow Cover, ECV-T5: GTOS Assessment of the status of the development of standards for the Terrestrial Essential Climate Variables, ed., R. Sessa, FAO, Rome.
Summary Report of the Fifteenth Session of the GCOS/WCRP Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC), Geneva, Switzerland, 6-7 March 2013
Links to In Situ Snow Measurement Networks
WMO World Weather Watch (WWW)/Global Observing System (GOS) surface synoptic network (depth)
This web site provides multiple links to National Networks (depth and snow water equivalent).LPV Focus Areas
Meetings
EGU 2017, 23-28 April 2017, Vienna, Austria. Abstract submission due 11 Jan 2017, details here.
ESA Annouces first gathering of the Sentinel-2 Validation Team (S2VT), 8-29 November 2016, at ESRIN, Frascati, Italy.
The Earthtemp initiative 35th EARSeL Symposium Stockholm, Sweden, June 15 to 19. Abstract Deadline is February 2015.
ISRSE36, Berlin, Germany, 11-15 May. Special Session on "Thermal Infrared data products for ecology and civil security".
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) annual fall meeting special session on "Taking the Temperature of the Earth: Challenges and Applications Across All Earth Surface Domains"
The European Geosciences Union (EGU) annual meeting in Vienna, Austria.
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