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Inter-annual water storage changes in the Aral Sea from multi-mission satellite altimetry, optical remote sensing, and GRACE satellite gravimetry

Publication Type : Conference Paper

Thematic Areas : Wireless Network and Application

Publisher : Elsevier

Source : Remote Sensing of Environment , Elsevier, Volume 123, p.187 - 195 (2012)

Url : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034425712000132

Keywords : Aral Sea, GRACE, Optical remote sensing, Satellite altimetry, Satellite gravimetry, Water mass variation

Campus : Amritapuri

School : School of Engineering

Center : Amrita Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (AmritaWNA)

Department : Wireless Networks and Applications (AWNA)

Year : 2012

Abstract : The estimation of water storage variations in lakes is essential for water resource management activities in a region. In areas of ungauged or poorly gauged water bodies, satellite altimetry acts as a powerful tool to measure changes in surface water level. Remote sensing provides images of temporal coastline variations, and a combination of both measurement techniques can indicate a change in water volume. In this study variations of the water level of the Aral Sea were computed for the period 2002–2011 from the combination of radar and laser satellite altimetry data sets over the lake. The estimated water levels were analyzed in combination with coastline changes from Landsat images in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the lake water changes. In addition to these geometrical observations temporal changes of water storage in the lake and its surrounding were computed from GRACE satellite gravimetry. With respect to its temporal evolution the GRACE results agree very well with the geometrical changes determined from altimetry and Landsat. The advancing desiccation until the beginning of 2009 and a subsequent abrupt gain of water in 2009–2010 due to exceptional discharge from Amu Darya can clearly be identified in all data sets.

Cite this Research Publication : Alka Singh, Seitz, F., and Schwatke, C., “Inter-annual water storage changes in the Aral Sea from multi-mission satellite altimetry, remote sensing, and GRACE satellite gravimetry”, in Geodätische Woche 2011 (Oral Presentation), Nürnberg, Germany, 2011.

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