MODIS Observed Surface and Atmosphere MODIS Observed Surface and Atmosphere Characters over Characters over Tibetan PlateauTibetan Plateau

Menglin Jin, PhD

Glaciers as a Harbinger of Global Glaciers as a Harbinger of Global ChangeChangeGlacier National ParkGlacier National Park

– 110 glaciers have disappeared in the past 150 years110 glaciers have disappeared in the past 150 years– 37 remaining glaciers expected to disappear within 25 years37 remaining glaciers expected to disappear within 25 years

Mt. KilimanjaroMt. Kilimanjaro– All glaciers likely to disappear within 20 yearsAll glaciers likely to disappear within 20 years

160,000 glaciers worldwide being monitored by satellites 160,000 glaciers worldwide being monitored by satellites (especially Landsat 7/ETM+ and Terra/ASTER)(especially Landsat 7/ETM+ and Terra/ASTER)

Gangotri Glacier, HimalayaGangotri Glacier, Himalaya

Bhutan-HimalayaBhutan-Himalaya

Kiehl and Trenberth, 1997

CLOUD

SNOW

Landsat 7Landsat 74/15/994/15/99

NASA Earth Science Spacecraft

TerraTerra12/18/9912/18/99

AquaAqua5/4/025/4/02

TRMMTRMM11/27/9711/27/97

Skin Temperature

Skin Temperature

NCAR GCM Tskinsnow ~264-272K

MODIS Tskin ~>280K

CCSM3/CLM3 Snow Temperature

NCAR Model Simulation

Tiebetan Plateau CCSM3/CLM3

TRMM rainfall

Aerosol Optical Thickness, July 2004

Interannual Variations Aerosol Optical Thickness, from MODIS

Cirrus, from MODIS

Cirrus Fraction, by MODIS

Water vapor

Cloud optical thickness, from MODIS

Cloud fraction

Cloud Top Pressure

Cloud Top Temperature

Total Column Water Vapor, from MODIS

Diurnal Variation Aqua-Terra Cirrus Fraction, January 2005

Aqua-Terra Cirrus Refelectance, January 2005

Aqua-Terra total column water vapor, January 2005

Aqua-Terra total column water vapor, July 2004

Auqa-Terra Cloud Fraction, January 2005

Diurnal, seasonal, and inter-annual variations of rainfall, clouds, and water vapor over the Tibetan Plateau are examined using the most advanced satellite observations. Such understanding is critical for further modeling this regions.

Land Information System for easier accessing and analyzing MODIS land observations is desired

Summary