Snowcover Survey over an Arctic Glacier Forefield: Contribution of Photogrammetry to Identify "Icing" Variability and Processes

TL;DR

This study uses UAV-based photogrammetry and Structure from Motion to map snow depth over an Arctic glacier's moraine, revealing snow variability and contributing to understanding hydrological processes amid climate change.

Contribution

It introduces a novel UAV photogrammetry method for estimating snow water equivalent on moraine surfaces, enhancing glacier hydrology models.

Findings

High accuracy snow depth maps achieved through SfM and UAV imagery.

Strong correlation between in-situ measurements and DSM-derived snow depths.

Quantitative assessment of snow variability on moraine surfaces.

Abstract

Current climate shift has significant impacts on both quality and quantity of snow precipitation. This directly influences spatial variability of the snowpack as well as cumulative snow height. Contemporary glacier retreat reorganizes periglacial morphology: while the glacier area decreases, the moraine area increases. The latter is becoming a new water storage potential almost as important as the glacier itself, but with a much more complex topography. This work hence fills one of the missing variables of the hydrological budget equation of an arctic glacier basin by providing an estimate of the snow water equivalent (SWE) of the moraine contribution. Such a result is achieved by investigating Structure from Motion (SfM) image processing applied to pictures collected from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as a method to produce snow depth maps over the proglacial moraine area. Several UAV campaigns were carried out on a small glacial basin in Spitsbergen (Arctic): measurements were made at the maximum snow accumulation season (late April) while reference topography maps were acquired at the end of hydrological year (late September) when the moraine is mostly free of snow. Snow depth is determined from Digital Surface Model (DSM) subtraction. Using dedicated and natural ground control points for relative positioning of the DSMs, the relative DSM georeferencing with sub-meter accuracy removes the main source of uncertainty when assessing snow depth. For areas where snow is deposited on bare rock surfaces, the correlation between avalanche probe in-situ snow depth measurements and DSM differences is excellent. Differences in ice covered areas between the two measurement techniques are attributed to the different quantities measured.