8-Snow Cover Mapping and Snowmelt Runoff Estimation From Remotely Sensed Data.

Abstract

Remotely sensed observations of snow cover extent provide useful input for reliable estimates of snowmelt runoff. Snow covered area and snow water equivalent are the properties sensed by remote sensing techniques. Satellite imagery is one of the source for computing the snow covered area. Airborne gamma ray spectrometry is used for measuring snow water equivalent. Improved estimates of spatial and temporal variation of precipitation for model applications may be obtained by integrating conventional point measurements with remote sensing techniques. Several workers have used the remotely sensed data of snow cover area and snow water equivalent for snowmelt estimation. In India also seasonal snowmelt is being foreeasted using data of snow cover area and snow water equivalent obtained from satellite imagery and airborne gamma radiation measurements.