Advances in snowcover monitoring using optical remote sensing

Snow plays a very important role in global hydrology and climate change. Using remote sensing technology in snow cover monitoring has a history of more than 40 years. A series of algorithm and products were developed in the snow cover mapping, snow deeps inversion and snowice albedo. Among them, the optical remote sensing data were used widely in snow cover monitoring because of their high resolution in time and space. As the earth observation system (EOS) developed and domestic environmental satellite launched in succession, more and more remote sensing data will be used in the snow monitoring field, and provide abundant data source for earth radiation balance simulation, surface hydrologic, and global change researches.