Exploring Machine Learning's Potential for Estimating High Resolution
Daily Snow Depth in Western Himalaya using Passive Microwave Remote
Sensing Datasets
Abstract
Snow depth (SD) exhibits high spatiotemporal heterogeneity in Western
Himalaya (WH), and its knowledge is essential for applications related
to water resources, disaster management, climate, etc. However, due to
inclement weather and rugged topographical conditions, only a sparse
network of SD monitoring stations exists in WH. Spaceborne passive
microwave (PMW) remote sensing datasets provides valuable information
about SD; however, only a limited PMW SD studies that cover subregions
of WH are available. The current study utilizes Extremely Randomized
Trees (ERT) based machine learning technique to estimate daily SD over
the entire WH region. The ERT SD model is developed using PMW brightness
temperature datasets from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2
(AMSR-2), snow cover duration (SCD), and other auxiliary parameters
during the winter period between 2012-13 and 2019-20. The data between
2012-13 and 2017-18 is used for training the model, whereas the data
between 2018-19 and 2019-20 is used for testing the model. The results
demonstrate: (a) The ERT SD model has shown improved SD estimates
compared to the available PMW remote sensing-based operational SD
products and empirical PMW SD models. (b) in general, with an increase
in SD, the mean absolute error of SD retrievals has increased in all SD
products/models. (c) Unlike the operational AMSR2 SD product, and
Northern Hemisphere Machine Learning SD product, the ERT SD model
retrievals have shown better consistency with MODIS snow cover. (d) the
developed model has shown a wider range in SD retrievals as compared to
other products considered in this study.