Snow and Sea Ice Reference-Quality Emission and Backscatter Modeling

• Published in: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society Vol. 106; no. 9; pp. E1972 - E1980
• Main Authors: Sandells, Mel, Mätzler, Christian, Arduini, Gabriele, de Gélis, Iris, English, Stephen, Kern, Stefan, Lee, Sang-Moo, Macfarlane, Amy R., Meloche, Julien, Picard, Ghislain, Prigent, Catherine, Rückert, Janna, Spreen, Gunnar, Tonboe, Rasmus, Vuyovich, Carrie, Weng, Fuzhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston American Meteorological Society 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Algorithms; Atmosphere; Backscatter; Backscattering; Climate prediction; Data assimilation; Data collection; Data interpretation; Development strategies; Emission; Emissions; Ice; Incidence angle; Instrumentation; Machine learning; Microstructure; Microwave scattering; Modelling; Mountain regions; Parameters; Physical properties; Radiation; Radiative transfer; Remote sensing; Salinity; Sea ice; Sky radiation; Snow; Snow and ice; Space science; Surface roughness; Topography
• ISSN: 0003-0007; 1520-0477
• DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0148.1

What: Fourteen members of an International Space Science Institute team—from America, Asia, and Europe and with backgrounds in radiative transfer modeling, data assimilation, remote sensing, field campaigns, space agencies, and instrumentation—met to identify a strategy for development of a reference-quality model for snow and sea ice emission and backscatter When: 6–10 January 2025 Where: Bern, Switzerland Website: https://teams.issibern.ch/snowseaiceemission/ 1. The reference model will also help understand the role of snow and sea ice in climate and hydrological prediction, through the development of improved remote sensing retrieval algorithms, techniques, and data interpretation. Development of reference model Derivation of required geophysical parameters depends on a good model of microwave scattering behavior and accurate estimates of snow and ice parameters, such as microstructure, salinity, and surface roughness. [...]the surface emissions depend on the surface relief as 1) local incidence angles differ from the sensors’ viewing angles, 2) the solid angle contribution to radiation from tilted surface facets can be reduced or enhanced depending on the surface topography, and 3) mountain regions are subject to complications by multiple reflections, shadowing, and reduced sky radiation due to the elevated horizon line (Mätzler and Standley 2000).