Item: MONITORING SNOW COVER IN REMOTE REGIONS USING RADAR INTERFEROMETRY: APPLICATION TO THE RADARSAT CONSTELLATION MISSION (RCM)
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Title: MONITORING SNOW COVER IN REMOTE REGIONS USING RADAR INTERFEROMETRY: APPLICATION TO THE RADARSAT CONSTELLATION MISSION (RCM)
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Marie-Clara Delage [ Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada ] [ Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec, Canada ]
- Alexandre Langlois [ Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada ]
- Benoît Montpetit [ Environnement et Changement Climatique Canada (ECCC) ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Snow cover is highly variable in space and time, making its characterization particularly challenging in remote and complex environments. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) offers promising capabilities for large-scale snow monitoring under all-weather and day-night conditions. This study investigates the potential of C-band Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) to estimate snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE). The approach is evaluated across two contrasting environments: the deep, maritime-influenced snowpack of Rogers Pass, British Columbia, and the Arctic and subarctic snow conditions of Nunavik, Quebec. Sequential RCM SLC acquisitions are processed to generate interferometric phase time series, which are calibrated using in situ snow observations to retrieve changes in SWE. The resulting estimates are compared with field measurements and outputs from the physically based SNOWPACK model to assess their accuracy and robustness. This research aims to evaluate the potential and limitations of RCM InSAR for characterizing the spatial and temporal variability of snow cover and to support the development of improved snow and geohazard monitoring approaches in remote regions.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P3.24.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790099133
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Marie-Clara Delage
Keywords: Remote sensing, Snow, InSAR, RCM, Alpine
Page Number(s): 1126 - 1129
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