Optical Remote Sensing of Snow Cover

Snow, which covers up to 53% of the northern hemisphere’s land mass and 44% of the Earth, is of crucial importance for our climate. Snow cover modifies the energy balance of the continental surface because it reflects a significant fraction of the incident solar radiation. The presence of snow also affects surface humidity and temperature at the lower boundary of the atmosphere, which in turn influences the climate dynamics. This “climatic” role played by snow cover has a significant impact on boreal and polar regions (Siberia, Greenland, Antarctica, etc.). Remote sensing is a suitable tool to use for studying the snowpack properties for such vast and insufficiently monitored areas.