Passive Microwave Melt Onset Retrieval Based on a Variable Threshold: Assessment in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Study Region and Data
2.1. Study Region
2.2. Brightness Temperature Data
2.3. Arctic System Reanalysis Data
2.4. Temperature Profiler Data
2.5. MO Data
3. MO Detection Methods
3.1. Advanced Horizontal Range Algorithm (AHRA)
3.2. Passive Microwave Algorithm (PMW)
3.3. DTVM
- The time series of variability is created from at least the first day of the year until the end of the possible melt season. The variability is calculated using brightness temperatures over a given range, which includes the day of interest and the two prior days.
- A range of thresholds is created, varying from 0 to the maximum value of variability within the time series.
- MO dates are determined for each possible threshold between 0 and the maximum value of the time series. MO dates outside of the possible melt range (day of year 61 to 200) are discarded. If there are more MO dates before the melt range than there are within it, then no MO date will be defined.
- The inter-quartile range (IQR) is determined from the range of remaining MO dates. The IQR is calculated by taking the 75th percentile value from the MO dates and subtracting it from the 25th percentile value. A small IQR value indicates a very well defined MO date, whereas a very large IQR value indicates a poorly defined MO date. If the IQR for the given pixel is larger than a specified value (20 was used here), a MO onset date is not estimated for that pixel.
- Finally, the MO date is defined as the date corresponding to the 25th percentile.
3.4. Estimation of MO Using SAT
- 14 day averaged SAT values were used with −1 °C threshold.
- Daily averaged SAT values were used with −1 °C threshold.
- Daily averaged SAT values were used with 0 °C threshold.
4. Results
4.1. Comparison of Passive Microwave MO Methods
4.2. SAT MO Dates Comparison
4.3. Comparison with Profiler Temperature Data
4.4. Dependence on Ice Type
4.5. Melt Onset Trends
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Mode | Mean | Standard Deviation | |
---|---|---|---|
DTVM-AHRA | 0 | 5.35 | 14.59 |
DTVM-PMW | 2 | 0.52 | 12.50 |
PMW-AHRA | 0 | 4.84 | 17.81 |
Instrument | Ice Type | Latitude | Longitude | Year | DTVM MO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
profiler 1 | FYI | 69.44N | 124.1W | 2014 | 130 |
profiler 2 | FYI | 69.03N | 105.3W | 2014 | 146 |
profiler 3 | FYI | 69.00N | 105.8W | 2015 | 141 |
profiler 4 | FYI | 68.37N | 101.3W | 2015 | 142 |
profiler 5 | FYI | 69.00N | 105.8W | 2016 | 155 |
profiler 6 | FYI | 68.88N | 105.8W | 2018 | 158 |
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Marshall, S.; Scott, K.A.; Scharien, R.K. Passive Microwave Melt Onset Retrieval Based on a Variable Threshold: Assessment in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Remote Sens. 2019, 11, 1304. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11111304
Marshall S, Scott KA, Scharien RK. Passive Microwave Melt Onset Retrieval Based on a Variable Threshold: Assessment in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Remote Sensing. 2019; 11(11):1304. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11111304
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarshall, Stephen, K. Andrea Scott, and Randall K. Scharien. 2019. "Passive Microwave Melt Onset Retrieval Based on a Variable Threshold: Assessment in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago" Remote Sensing 11, no. 11: 1304. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11111304