Detection of Winter Heat Wave Impact on Surface Runoff in a Periglacial Environment (Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard)

Abstract

The occurrence of extreme warm events in the Arctic has been increasing in recent years in terms of their frequency and intensity. The assessment of the impact of these episodes on the snow season requires further observation capabilities, where spatial and temporal resolutions are key constraints. This study targeted the snow season of 2022 when a winter rain-on-snow event occurred at Ny-Ålesund in mid-March. The selected methodology was based on a multi-scale and multi-platform approach, combining ground-based observations with satellite remote sensing. The ground-based observation portfolio included meteorological measurements, nivological information, and the optical description of the surface in terms of spectral reflectance and snow-cover extent. The satellite data were obtained by the Sentinel-2 platforms, which provided ten multi-spectral acquisitions from March to July. The proposed strategy supported the impact assessment of heat waves in a periglacial environment, describing the relation and the timing between rain-on-snow events and the surface water drainage system. The integration between a wide range of spectral, time, and spatial resolutions enhanced the capacity to monitor the evolution of the surface water drainage system, detecting two water discharge pulsations, different in terms of duration and effects. This preliminary study aims to improve the description of the snow dynamics during those extreme events and to assess the impact of the produced break during the snow accumulation period.