Estimation of snow cover area using Landsat satellite images using NDSI index (Case study: Mountain Alamkuh range)

Authors
Mohammad Reza Yousefi Roshan 1
Rasul Sharifi Najafabadi 2
1 Department of Geography Education, Farhangian University,, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Geography Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/wmji.2024.2025474.1060
Abstract
With the progress of science and technology, remote sensing satellites study and monitor the earth in a precise and real-time manner. Satellite images have many applications, snow cover level estimation plays an important role in hydrology studies. Due to the harsh physical conditions of mountainous environments, there is no possibility of ground measurement to estimate the area of ​​snow cover and form a database; using satellite images and image processing software due to low cost and wide coverage; It is pioneering in identifying snow catchment areas, estimating the area of ​​snow cover and evaluating its changes; It is a good method. The purpose of this research is to estimate the area of ​​the relative snow cover surface, which is studied as a sample of Alam Kuh peak and its range in Alborzgharbi. Landsat satellite images were used to estimate the snow cover area. Through ENVI version 5/3 software, pre-processing, processing and combination of information was done and by using snow cover index (NDSI) during four periods of one year, snow cover was separated and through the slope of the file in Arc Map software, the area of ​​snow cover in history The images taken were estimated and compared. Estimating the area of ​​snow cover in high mountain areas has stated the necessity of using satellite data. The results of the above method can be used as a substitute for snow measuring stations and estimate the amount of water entering the catchment basins.
Keywords
Estimate
Snow cover
Images
Satellite
Landsat
NDSI index
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