Progress of Research on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Satellite Remote Sensing

Abstract

Some research achievements in satellite remote sensing in Tibetan Plateau are described in this paper. It mainly covers remote sensing of the surface characteristic parameters, remote sensing of vegetation parameters, and remote sensing of snow parameters. Besides those, the problems demanding prompt solution about the applications of satellite data over Tibetan Plateau are given. I. ForewordKnown as the "Roof of the World" and the "Third Pole of the Earth", the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has an average altitude above 4000m. The driving force of tall terrain, coupled with the powerful ground heat effect of the plateau make the region's land-atmosphere interaction process, particularly the energy-water cycle exert a great impact on Asian monsoon, the East Asian atmospheric circulation and global climate change. For a long time, due to the harsh natural conditions, it is difficult to carry out systematic observation on the plateau surface characteristic parameters and land-atmosphere energy exchange characteristics; the relatively short history of the existing observational data, sparse and unevenly distributed observation sites make people have little knowledge of the plateau surface characteristics. Relying on its capability of real-time, continuous and accurate access to a wide range of surface information, satellite remote sensing has provided a possible means to acquire the surface characteristic parameters of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. By referring to the results of related studies, this paper has summarized the application status quo of satellite remote sensing technology in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in terms of the plateau surface characteristic parameter remote sensing, surface vegetation parameters remote sensing and surface snow and ice remote sensing. II. Inversion of Surface Characteristic Parameter Sensing A. Surface albedoAs an important parameters widely used in surface energy balance, medium and long-term weather forecasting and global change research, surface albedo is a key component of earth radiation field. For the determination of a wide range of instantaneous surface albedo or the average surface albedo in a certain time period mainly include two approaches, namely, climatology calculation [1] and aerial remote sensing [2,3] . As early as 1960s, Chen Longxun, et al analyzed and calculated the surface albedo distribution of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; Xie Xianqun applied the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Meteorological Science data to carry out systematic study of the plateau albedo; and the second Qinghai-Tibet Plateau atmospheric scientific experiment also made some analysis and research on the plateau albedo; however, these studies are mostly confined to a limited short period, or just calculated an average value [4] .Relative to climatology, with the advantage of a wide range simultaneous observation, the surface albedo calculation results of aerial remote sensing have a higher accuracy; currently, the use of satellite remote sensing of surface albedo inversion is more mature [5] . There are two main approaches to ...