Global Snow Grain Size Measurements from ADEOS-II Satellite

Snow grain size at the top surface is retrieved using the 1.64 μm band from the GLI sensor. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) produced this Level 3 binned product, which provides 16-day and monthly statistical summaries at a 1/12-degree spatial resolution. Data collection for this version concluded with the ADEOS-II mission in 2003.

Use Cases

• Model snow albedo feedback by analyzing the relationship between retrieved snow grain size and surface temperature from the SNGI_p input product.
• Map seasonal snow metamorphosis patterns using the 16-day binned statistics of grain size across the global, Northern, and Southern Hemisphere generation units.
• Validate radiative transfer models by comparing satellite-retrieved grain size from the 1640nm band against ground-based in-situ measurements.
• Study spatial variability in snow properties using the per-pixel statistical summaries (sum, square sum, max, min) included in the product.

Strengths

• Global coverage with generation units for the entire world, Northern Hemisphere, and Southern Hemisphere.
• Data includes multiple statistical aggregations (sum, square sum, max, min) for each binned pixel.
• Product is derived from a dedicated optical sensor (GLI) with a 1600 km swath width, designed for environmental monitoring.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with the last update in 2003, limiting analysis of recent climate trends.
• The spatial resolution of 1/12 degree (~9 km at the equator) may be too coarse for local or watershed-scale studies.
• Product relies on a single sensor and retrieval method (1640nm band), which may have specific biases under certain atmospheric conditions.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Remote sensing data from the GLI (Global Imager) optical sensor onboard the ADEOS-II (Midori II) satellite, processed to Level 3 binned statistics.

Time Range

Mission data up to 2003-10-25.

Freshness

Static dataset from a mission that ended in 2003; no ongoing updates.

Geography

Global coverage.