The Cryospheric Science Group of the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3) is pleased to welcome MSc candidate Branden Walker, of Wilfrid Laurier University, to present his research at our seminar this month. His presentation is entitled:
“Mapping snow depth and snowmelt conditions using Unmanned Aerial Systems in Arctic-Tundra environments”
The hydrological cycle of Arctic-tundra environments is primarily driven by the deposition and redistribution of snow during the winter months. The heterogeneous nature of end-of-winter snowcover is characterised by significant small-scale spatial variations in snowcover depth, density, and thus snow-water equivalent (SWE). The end-of-winter SWE distribution across these landscapes is shown to have significant hydrological influences during the spring snowmelt period, resulting in a heterogeneous snowmelt and significant snowmelt runoff lag periods. This study aims to capture the small-scale spatial variations in end-of-winter snow depth and document the spring snowmelt changes in snow depth, snowmelt contributing area and basin water storage using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), with the objective of creating a better understanding of the complex and dynamic spring snowmelt runoff processes in these tundra ecosystems.