International Journal of Remote Sensing.pdf

Wavelet-transform based edge detection approach to derivation of snowmelt onset, end and duration from satellite passive microwave measurements HONGXING LIU*{, LEI WANG{ and KENNETH C. JEZEK{ {Department of Geography, Texas AM University, College Station, TX 77843, USA {Byrd Polar Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA (Received 14 July 2004; in final form 16 June 2005 ) We developed a new method for deriving the onset date, end date, duration and spatial extent of snowmelt using satellite passive microwave measurements. Our method exploits the fact that apparent edges are present on the brightness temperature (Tb) time series curve corresponding to sharp and abrupt melt- induced transitions of brightness temperature. Through a wavelet transform of daily Tb observations, our method identifies and tracks significant upward and downward edges on the Tb curves. Through variance analysis and bi-modal Gaussian curve fitting, an optimal edge strength threshold is statistically determined to differentiate real snowmelt edges from weak edges caused by noisy perturbations and other non-melt processes. Based on the principle of spatial autocorrelation, a neighbourhood operator is designed to detect and correct possible errors in the melt computations that are purely based on temporal analysis of individual Tb curves. We have implemented the method using C + + programming language and successfully applied it to Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data collected in 2001–2002 over the Antarctic ice sheet. The computation results were evaluated through visual interpretation of brightness temperature time series and examination of historical near-surface air temperature records. 1. Introduction Monitoring and measuring snowmelt is important for studying climatic changes in polar regions and for hydrological modelling of snowmelt-runoff in high-latitude and mountainous regions. The polar regions play an important role in the global heat budget by co