Estimation and validation of standalone SCATSAT-1 derived snow cover area using different MODIS products
Sartajvir Singh, Reet Kamal Tiwari, Vishakha Sood, Ravneet Kaur, Simrandeep Singh, Shivendu Prashar, Simrandeep Singh, Shivendu Prashar
Abstract
In the present work, the scatterometer satellite (SCATSAT-1) has been implemented and validated to provide the near-real-time estimation of snow cover area (SCA) in the Western Himalayas, India. The SCA derived from standalone SCATSAT-1 L4 (Level-4 India) products, i.e. sigma-nought (σ°), and gamma-nought (γ°) has been validated with different MODIS products individually, i.e. MOD02 L1B (calibrated-radiances) derived NDSI (normalized difference snow index), MOD10A1 L3 (daily composite snow cover), and MOD10A2 L3 (8-Day composite snow cover). The experimental outcomes confirm the potential of SCATSAT-1 in estimating the SCA with respect to other MODIS products and also, suggested the utilization of the different MODIS products for referencing/validation in different scenarios. The findings of this paper suggest that SCATSAT-1 offers the near real-time mapping and monitoring of large-scale snow extent at the global level even under cloudy conditions.