Snow Cover Mapping

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Snow Cover Mapping CGS/Gamma
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• Baseline and blockages

• Baseline GLASNOWMAP
• CGS Snow Cover Map (MERIS/AATSR)
• Gamma Snow Cover Map (ASAR)

• Solutions
• Use of MODIS data

• Solutions
• Improve use of ASAR based methodology

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• Blockages and solutions

• Solutions
• Inform ESA ...

• Solutions
• Coordination with ESA among the user community

Solution Use of Benevento ground station which
acquires MODIS data in real time.
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• Blockages and solutions

• Solution
• Use of MODIS data (available for free), will
  allow to provide low cost products.
• Definition of a price policy for the operational
  phase
• Development of a cost effective operational
  service
• CGS will offer for 2 years service for free in
  phase2

Solution Improve promotional activities.
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Optical Sensors
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• Integrated production line of MERIS/AATSR

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• Automatic integrated production line of MODIS

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• Integrated production line of ASAR

• Adaptation of the GAMMA software to the new
  format of ASAR data
• Modification of the general software
  architecture to start with PRI data instead of
  RAW data.
• Further modifications of the SAR image
  processing chain
• radiometric and geometric calibration of ENVISAT
  PRI images
• multi-looking of ENVISAT PRI images
• filtering of ENVISAT PRI images
• preparation and use of a SRTM DEM with 250m
  posting
• improvement of the geocoding of ASAR WS data
• thresholding of ratio images
• post-processing of wet snow maps
• preparation of appropriate processing scripts

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• Integrated production line of ASAR

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• Integrated production line of ASAR

• Delay in delivering data

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• Integrated production line of IKONOS (high resol.)

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• Delivered products

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• Examples Single optical SCA products

MERIS/AATSR
22 Mar. 04
Area Orobie Alps, Italy. Projection UTM - WGS
84 , Zone 32 N
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• Example Multitemporal optical SCA product

S. Caterina Basin, Winter 2004
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• Validation activities

MERIS snow cover maps Validated against ASTER
images (15 m resol.)
Regions of interest selected on ASTER image. Red
snow.
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• Validation activities

MODIS snow cover maps Validated against ASTER
images (15 m resol.)
Regions of interest selected on ASTER image. Red
snow. Green snow free
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• Comparison activities

MODIS snow cover maps Comparison with MODIS NASA
snow maps
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• Validation of ASAR snow cover maps

ASAR snow cover maps Validated against MODIS snow
maps two areas were tested Valle dAosta and
Valtellina
Strong underestimation!
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• Validation of ASAR snow cover maps

• Reasons for poor accuracy of the test campaign
  2004 with ASAR data
• different date for MODIS (and cloudy!)
• date of the reference image, March 1.
• effect of forest cover
• differences from near to far-range
• suitable data sets for validation are not at hand

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• Validation activities

IKONOS snow cover maps Validated against photo of
Ghiacciaio dei Forni
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• Validation activities

IKONOS snow cover maps Validated against photo of
Ghiacciaio dei Forni