Adaptability of MODIS Daily Cloud-Free Snow Cover 500 m Dataset over China in Hutubi River Basin Based on Snowmelt Runoff Model

Abstract

Global warming affects the hydrological characteristics of the cryosphere. In arid and semi-arid regions where precipitation is scarce, glaciers and snowmelt water assume important recharge sources for downstream rivers. Therefore, the simulation of snowmelt water runoff in mountainous areas is of great significance in hydrological research. In this paper, taking the Hutubi River Basin in the Tianshan Mountains as the study area, we used the “MODIS Daily Cloud-free Snow Cover 500 m Dataset over China” (MODIS_CGF_SCE) to carry out the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) simulation and evaluated the simulation accuracy. The results showed that: (1) The SRM preferably simulated the characteristics of the average daily flow variation of the Hutubi River from May to October, from 2003–2009. The monthly total runoff was maximum in July and minimum in October. Extreme precipitation events influenced the formation of flood peaks, and the interannual variation trend of total runoff from May to October was increased. (2) The mean value of the volume difference (DV) during the model validation period was 8.85%, and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.73. In general, the SRM underestimates the runoff of the Hutubi River, and the simulation accuracy is more accurate in the normal water period than in the high-water period. (3) By analyzing MODIS_CGF_SCE from 2003 to 2009, areas above 3200 m elevation in the Hutubi River Basin were classified as permanent snow areas, and areas below 3200 m were classified as seasonal snow areas. In October, the snow area in the Hutubi River Basin gradually increased, and the increase in snow cover in the permanent snow area was greater than that in the seasonal snow area. The snowmelt period was from March to May in the seasonal snow area and from May to early July in the permanent snow area, and the minimum snow cover was 0.7%.

Snow Cover Temporal Dynamic Using MODIS Product, and Its Relationship with Precipitation and Temperature in the Tropical Andean Glaciers in the Alto Santa Sub-Basin (Peru)

“…Global warming significantly impacts the cryosphere, including snow, glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost. As the Earth's temperature rises, the cryosphere is melting at an accelerating pace, leading to significant changes in the global hydrological cycle [56] In the study area, the high elevation and proximity to the equator mean that the region receives a high amount of solar radiation, this can lead to higher surface temperatures and increased energy available for surface processes to increase the melting of snow and ice and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is often high due to the region's dry climate. This can lead to higher rates of evapotranspiration and lower surface temperatures due to the cooling effect of evaporation, the interplay between solar radiation, VPD, and other factors, such as temperature and precipitation, can have complex effects on the snow cover area in the tropical glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca.…”

An Improved Xin’anjiang Hydrological Model for Flood Simulation Coupling Snowmelt Runoff Module in Northwestern China

“…Currently, the main method of simulating the snow melt runoff is the SRM model [6], SPHY model [33], and frozen soil hydrological model, which separates the total flow calculation from both rainfall and snowfall (including snow reserve in the basin). That is, the whole process of both runoff yield and concentration is calculated in the precipitation and snowmelt areas respectively; thus, both the area of the total watershed and the snowcovered part are needed in the model.…”

“…The rivers in Northwest China are characterized by high altitude and low temperature, covered with snow all year round, and most of the surface runoff comes from high-temperature snowmelt [5][6][7]. In recent years, under the background of global warming, the melting speed of glaciers and snowmelt in the Northwest region is on a rapid upward trend, posing a potential threat to snowmelt flooding and further affecting the normal life of residents in this region [8].…”

“…There are two main forms of cryospheric hydrological models. One is based on ordinary hydrological models in which the cryospheric elements are coupled [31]; the other is used to construct new independent hydrological models with cryospheric elements, such as the glacier and snowmelt degreeday hydrological model [32], SRM (Snowmelt Runoff Model) [6], SPHY (Spatial Processes in Hydrology Mode) model [33], and frozen soil hydrological model. There are some differences between the two models in the research purpose, research object, and research area, but they are still closely related in the development situation.…”