Large-scale statistical study of Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) data over Antarctica

Fily, Michel; Benoist, Jean-Pierre

doi:10.1017/s002214300004288x

Cited by 30 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…6) The East Antarctic Plateau, particularly the Dome-C area has been used as a test site for calibrating and validating data of satellite-borne microwave radiometers since the 1970 s [22], [28], [29]. However, the analysis performed in this work evidences some spatial inhomegeneities in this area that can be detected with L-band radiometers, in line with the conclusions achieved in a recent airborne experiment [25].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

SMOS and Aquarius Radiometers: Inter-Comparison Over Selected Targets

Pablos

Piles

González-Gambau

et al. 2014

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Appl. Earth Observations Remote Sensing

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Passive microwave remote sensing at L-band is considered to be the most suitable technique to measure soil moisture and ocean salinity. These two variables are needed as inputs of predictive models, to improve climate and weather forecast, and to increase our knowledge of the water cycle. Nowadays, there are two space missions providing frequent and global observations of moisture and salinity of the Earth's surface with L-band radiometers on-board. The first one is the ESA's SMOS satellite, launched on November 2, 2009, which carries a two-dimensional, multi-angular, and full-polarimetric synthetic aperture radiometer. The second one is the NASA/CONAE's Aquarius/SAC-D mission, launched on June 10, 2011, which includes three beam push-broom real aperture radiometers. The objective of this work is to compare SMOS and Aquarius brightness temperatures and verify the continuity and consistency of the data over the entire dynamic range of observations. This is paramount if data from both radiometers are used for any long term enviromental, meteorological, hydrological, or climatological studies. The intercomparison approach proposed is based on the study of 1 year of measurements over key target regions selected as representative of land, ice, and sea surfaces. The level of linearity, the correlation, and the differences between the observations of the two radiometers are analyzed. Results show a higher linear correlation between SMOS and Aquarius brightness temperatures over land than over sea. A seasonal effect and spatial inhomogeneities are observed over ice, at the Dome-C region. In all targets, better agreement is found in horizontal than in vertical polarization. Also, the correlation is higher at higher incidence angles. These differences indicate that there is a non-linear effect between the two instruments, not only a bias.Index Terms-Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, brightness temperature, inter-comparison, L-band radiometer, passive microwave remote sensing, Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

SMOS and Aquarius Radiometers: Inter-Comparison Over Selected Targets

Pablos

Piles

González-Gambau

et al. 2014

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Appl. Earth Observations Remote Sensing

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“…This test also supports the idea that the resolved modes reflect a stronger influence of temperature rather than emissivity variations. Because snow surface properties (notably grain size) and emissivity display strong seasonal variations [Shuman et al, 1995;Gow, 1969], any significant influence not already excluded by the melt mask should be seen in a contrast between winter and summer EOF patterns.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variability of Antarctic ice sheet microwave brightness temperatures

Schneider

Steig

2002

Geophysical Research Letters

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Annual and interannual variability of 21 years of passive microwave brightness temperatures on the Antarctic ice sheet is documented through principal component analysis. The leading modes show that brightness temperatures are dominantly forced by the annual temperature cycle, with surface melting signals explaining about 5% of the total variance of the data. Analysis of the data with the annual cycle and melting signals removed results in two significant interannual modes. The first is consistent with the Antarctic Oscillation and its influence on Antarctic surface temperatures, while the second reflects regional scale variability that appears to be linked to sea‐ice anomalies and the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation. The expression of these characteristic patterns of Southern Hemisphere climate variability on the Antarctic continent provides a framework for interpreting modern climate records, as well as a basis for reconstructing past climate variability with ice cores.

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“…The analysis is then extended to include similar cases from 1995 and 2001-02. Due to the large scales involved and the difficulty in accurately measuring accumulation on polar ice sheets in situ, research has evaluated satellite VOLUME 17 J O U R N A L O F C L I M A T E microwave remote sensing as a means of gaining information on large-scale accumulation patterns (e.g., Fily and Benoist 1991;Zwally 1977;Zwally and Giovinetto 1995). Such studies rely on accurate and detailed knowledge of firn (upper ice sheet) properties through time and independent knowledge of the upper-snowtemperature profile with depth (Alley 1987;Comiso et al 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Precipitation over the Interior East Antarctic Ice Sheet Related to Midlatitude Blocking-High Activity

Massom¹,

Pook²,

Comiso³

et al. 2004

J. Climate

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Intermittent atmospheric blocking-high activity in the South Tasman Sea is shown to play a key role in delivering substantial snowfall as far south as at least 75ЊS on the central East Antarctic Ice Sheet plateau. Typically, cyclones fail to penetrate this far (Ͼ1000 km) inland, and accumulation was thought to be dominated by clear-sky precipitation. In East Antarctica, the meridional cloud bands delivering the moisture originate from as far north as 35Њ-40ЊS, and appear to preferentially pass over the East Antarctic coast in a corridor from ϳ120Њ to 160ЊE. Comparison of surface observations, model, and satellite data suggests that a few such episodes contribute a significant proportion of the (low) mean annual accumulation of the central East Antarctic Ice Sheet (e.g., an estimated 44% at Dome C over 18 days in December 2001-January 2002). Blocking-high-related incursions also cause abrupt increases in the surface wind speed (snow redistribution) and air temperature; this has implications for the interpretation of ice core data. Blocking-high-related precipitation episodes can generally be detected over the ice sheet interior, via abrupt changes (of ϳ0.02-0.04) in polarization in 37-and 85-GHz SSM/I data, due to the relative stability of the surface and its ''background'' microwave signature and the relative lack of cloud cover overall. This is not the case in high-accumulation near-coastal regions such as Law Dome, where additional information is required. Ambiguities remain due to blowing snow and hoarfrost formation. Further research is necessary to examine the frequency of occurrence and variability of midlatitude blocking-high systems, their effect on precipitation in the Antarctic Ice Sheet interior, and the potential effect of global change.

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Large-scale statistical study of Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) data over Antarctica

Cited by 30 publications

References 18 publications

SMOS and Aquarius Radiometers: Inter-Comparison Over Selected Targets

SMOS and Aquarius Radiometers: Inter-Comparison Over Selected Targets

Spatial and temporal variability of Antarctic ice sheet microwave brightness temperatures

Precipitation over the Interior East Antarctic Ice Sheet Related to Midlatitude Blocking-High Activity

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