The amount and depth of snow cover affect climate on regional and global scales. When snow is deposited on a land surface, it typically increases the degree to which the surface reflects incoming solar energy. In so doing, snow affects the EarthΓÇÖs radiation balance and, in turn, its climate. More information about the properties and effects of snow cover will aid in the development of more accurate models to help us understand and predict the role of snow in the EarthΓÇÖs climate.
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The Special Sensor Microwave / Imager (SSM/I) on board Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites continues to provide important information, as will the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) and the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) scheduled for flight on the EOS satellites.
In the image above (from February 1979) sea ice is indicated by white, ice sheets by gray, and snow by purple.
