Tauqir et al. (2025) Elevation-Dependent Trends in Himalayan Snow Cover (2004–2024) Based on MODIS Terra Observations

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Remote Sensing
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-09-12
• Authors: Ghania Tauqir, Wei Zhao, Mengjiao Xu, Dongjie Fu
• DOI: 10.3390/rs17183175

Research Groups

Not specified in the provided text.

Short Summary

This study investigates the altitude-specific dynamics and snow mass balance implications of snow cover in the Himalayas, revealing distinct regional variabilities in snow cover area, climatic drivers, and mass balance trends over 20 years.

Objective

• To explore the altitude-specific dynamics of snow cover and its implications for snow mass balance in the Himalayas.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Himalayan region, specifically Western Himalayas (WH), Central Himalayas (CH), and Eastern Himalayas (EH).
• Temporal Scale: 2004–2024 (21 years).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly stated as a specific model (e.g., ISBA, mHM). Methods used include pixel-based, elevation-stratified analysis, advanced spectral filtering, gap-filling techniques, correlation analysis, Equilibrium Line Altitude–Accumulation Area Ratio (ELA-AAR), Accumulation Area Balance Ratio (AABR) methods for mass balance estimation, Mann–Kendall, and Kendall Tau tests.
• Data sources: MOD09A1 satellite dataset.

Main Results

• The mean Snow Cover Area (SCA) across the Himalayas was approximately 2.10 × 10^5 km^2.
• Sub-regional SCA contributions were: WH: 8.59 × 10^4 km^2, CH: 9.55 × 10^4 km^2, and EH: 2.99 × 10^4 km^2.
• SCA in WH and CH is primarily precipitation-driven (correlation coefficients r = +0.70 and r = +0.91, respectively).
• SCA in EH is predominantly temperature-dominant (correlation coefficient r = −0.65).
• Regional mass balance trends:
  • WH: Positive mass balance of 0.0389 at 4105 m, with increasing SCA around 4516.12 ± 531.94 m.
  • CH: Negative mass balance of −0.0268 at 4989 m, with declines at higher altitudes.
  • EH: Negative mass balance of −0.015 at 4378 m, with notable SCA reduction.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive, elevation-stratified analysis of Himalayan snow cover dynamics and mass balance over a two-decade period.
• Identifies distinct regional climatic controls (precipitation vs. temperature) on SCA across the Western, Central, and Eastern Himalayas.
• Quantifies spatially heterogeneous snow mass balance trends, highlighting critical implications for regional hydrology and climate processes.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Tauqir2025ElevationDependent,
  author = {Tauqir, Ghania and Zhao, Wei and Xu, Mengjiao and Fu, Dongjie},
  title = {Elevation-Dependent Trends in Himalayan Snow Cover (2004–2024) Based on MODIS Terra Observations},
  journal = {Remote Sensing},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/rs17183175},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17183175}
}