Application of Satellite Data to Monitoring Snow Cover and Runoff in Greenland: Paper presented at the 7th Northern Res. Basins Symposium/Workshop (Ilulissat, Greenland May/June - 1988)

Based on NOAA-AVHRR satellite data and runoff records from one of the major drainage basins in Western Greenland methods for monitoring snow cover, snowpack water equivalent and runoff have been elaborated and evaluated by use of field observations and hydrological simulation. Data from six years and more than 40 satellite scenes have been used in the analysis. A procedure for snow cover mapping in areas with alpine relief is presented, and it is shown that the snowpack water equivalent can be derived by applying either a hydrological simulation or a degree-day approach. Finally, the applicability of the results with respect to hydro-power production in Greenland is discussed.