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Evolution of high‐latitude snow mass derived from the GRACE gravimetry mission (2002–2004)
Author(s) -
Frappart Frédéric,
Ramillien Guillaume,
Biancamaria Sylvain,
Mognard Nelly M.,
Cazenave Anny
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl024778
Subject(s) - snow , latitude , geology , water equivalent , climatology , environmental science , satellite , atmospheric sciences , geodesy , geomorphology , aerospace engineering , engineering
Since March 2002, the GRACE mission provides monthly global maps of geoid time‐variations. These new data carry information on the continental water storage, including snow mass variations, with a ground resolution of ∼600–700 km. We have computed monthly snow mass solutions from the inversion of the 22 GRACE geoids (04/2002–05/2004). The inverse approach developed here allows to separate the soil waters from snow signal. These snow mass solutions are further compared to predictions from three global land surface models and snow depths derived from satellite microwave data. We find that the GRACE solutions correlate well with the high‐latitude zones of strong accumulation of snow. Regional means computed for four large boreal basins (Yenisey, Ob, Mac Kenzie and Yukon) show a good agreement at seasonal scale between the snow mass solutions and model predictions (global rms ∼30–40 mm of equivalent‐water height and ∼10–20 mm regionally).