ABSTRACT
Accurate determination of snow parameters from space is a challenging effort. Microwave radiation, which can penetrate into the snowpack, provides an opportunity to sense the snowpack parameters. Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) will be flown on-board of the Japanese Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) and United States Earth Observation System (EOS) PM-1 satellite. AMSR is a passive microwave radiometer with frequency ranges from 6.9 GHz to 89 GHz. With a large antenna, AMSR will provide the best spatial resolution of multi-frequency radiometer from space. This provides us an opportunity to improve the snow parameter retrieval. Currently, NASDA and NASA are developing AMSR snow retrieval algorithms. These algorithms are now being carefully tested and evaluated using the SSM/I data. Due to limited snowpack data available for comparison, this activity is progressing slowly. However, it is clear that in order to improve the snow retrieval algorithm, it is necessary to model the metamorphism history of the snowpack.
