Mountain Snowpack Hydrology

山地积雪水文学

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-07112
• 负责人: Shea, Joseph
• 金额: $ 2.19万
• 依托单位: University of Northern British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=739313
• 关键词: Mountain; Snowpack; Hydrology

Mountain regions around the world are vital sources of water, and snow is a critical component of high-elevation hydrologic cycles. Potentially rapid and accelerated changes in mountain snowpacks will have cascading effects on downstream physical, biological, and human systems. Yet our current understanding of the spatial and temporal variability in mountain snow accumulation and snowmelt is limited, and this hinders our ability to address the hydrological impacts of climate change. With the support of an NSERC Discovery Grant, my MOuntain Snow Hydrology (MOSH) research group will focus on local, regional, and global mountain snowpacks as part of a long-term research program. The MOSH research group will focus on three interrelated themes. First, we will establish a multi-disciplinary mountain observatory at the proposed Valemount Glaciers Resort, and conduct detailed field studies on mountain snowpacks. Second, we will develop a granular understanding of snow climates in western Canada through analyses of historical snow observations, and targeted Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS, or drone) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) studies. The third MOSH research theme will focus on snow in largely unmonitored mountain basins from remote sensing and modelling perspectives. Mountain snowpack changes are linked to interannual climate variability and long-term trends; improved observations and understanding of mountain snow accumulation patterns and melt processes will thus advance our theories of climate change impacts across a broad range of applications. These applications include glacier mass balance, permafrost thaw and mountain hazards, operational hydrology, tourism, forest fire hazards, and large scale atmospheric circulation changes. With the inception of a high-elevation mountain observatory and the development of the MOSH lab, UNBC and western Canada will become a focal point for mountain research. Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP; 2 PhD, 3 MSc, 4 BSc) trained through my Discovery Grant funds will develop translatable and employable skills in field work, remote sensing, geospatial processing and analysis, and technical writing. My research program will advance our knowledge of past, present, and potential future changes in mountain snowpacks, support and expand a productive collaborative network, and will broaden and improve our understanding of changes in high-elevation areas and their downstream impacts.

世界各地的山区是重要的水源，而雪是高海拔水文循环的重要组成部分。山区积雪可能发生的快速且加速的变化将对下游的物理、生物和人类系统产生连锁反应。然而，我们目前对山地积雪和融雪的时空变化的了解有限，这阻碍了我们应对气候变化水文影响的能力。在 NSERC 发现补助金的支持下，我的山地雪水文学 (MOSH) 研究小组将重点关注当地、区域和全球山地积雪，作为长期研究计划的一部分。 MOSH 研究小组将重点关注三个相互关联的主题。首先，我们将在拟议的维蒙特冰川度假村建立一个多学科山地观测站，并对山地积雪进行详细的实地研究。其次，我们将通过分析历史积雪观测结果以及有针对性的遥控飞机系统（RPAS 或无人机）和光探测和测距（LiDAR）研究，对加拿大西部的雪气候有更细致的了解。 MOSH 的第三个研究主题将从遥感和建模的角度重点关注大部分未监测的山区盆地的积雪。山区积雪的变化与年际气候变化和长期趋势有关；因此，改进对山地积雪模式和融化过程的观察和理解将推动我们的气候变化影响理论在广泛的应用中的发展。这些应用包括冰川质量平衡、永久冻土融化和山区灾害、业务水文学、旅游业、森林火灾灾害和大规模大气环流变化。随着高海拔山地观测站的建立和 MOSH 实验室的发展，UNBC 和加拿大西部将成为山区研究的焦点。通过我的发现补助金培训的高素质人员（HQP；2 名博士、3 名理学硕士、4 名理学士）将培养实地工作、遥感、地理空间处理和分析以及技术写作方面的可翻译和就业技能。我的研究计划将增进我们对山地积雪过去、现在和未来潜在变化的了解，支持和扩大富有成效的合作网络，并将扩大和提高我们对高海拔地区变化及其下游影响的理解。