Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023

<p>Lake ice phenology plays a critical role in determining the hydrological and biogeochemical dynamics of catchments and regional climates. Lakes with complex shorelines and abundant aquatic vegetation are challenging for retrieving lake ice phenology via remote sensing data, primarily becaus...

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Main Authors: P. Huo, P. Lu, B. Cheng, M. Yu, Q. Wang, X. Li, Z. Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-02-01
Series:The Cryosphere
Online Access:https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/19/849/2025/tc-19-849-2025.pdf
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author P. Huo
P. Lu
B. Cheng
M. Yu
Q. Wang
X. Li
Z. Li
author_facet P. Huo
P. Lu
B. Cheng
M. Yu
Q. Wang
X. Li
Z. Li
author_sort P. Huo
collection DOAJ
description <p>Lake ice phenology plays a critical role in determining the hydrological and biogeochemical dynamics of catchments and regional climates. Lakes with complex shorelines and abundant aquatic vegetation are challenging for retrieving lake ice phenology via remote sensing data, primarily because of mixed pixels containing plants, land, and ice. To address this challenge, a new double-threshold moving <span class="inline-formula"><i>t</i></span>-test (DMTT) algorithm, which uses Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager–Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSM/I–SSMIS) sensor-derived brightness temperature data at a 3.125 km resolution and long-term ERA5 data, was applied to capture the ice phenology of Lake Ulansu from 1979 to 2023. Compared with the previous moving <span class="inline-formula"><i>t</i></span>-test algorithm, the new DMTT algorithm employs air temperature time series to assist in determining abrupt change points and uses two distinct thresholds to calculate the freeze-up start (FUS) and break-up end (BUE) dates. This method effectively improved the detection of ice information for mixed pixels. Furthermore, we extended Lake Ulansu's ice phenology back to 1941 via a random forest (RF) model. The reconstructed ice phenology from 1941 to 2023 indicated that Lake Ulansu had average FUS and BUE dates of 15 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 5 November and 25 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 6 March, respectively, with an average ice cover duration (ICD) of 130 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 8 d. Over the last 4 decades, the ICD has shortened by an average of 22 d. Air temperature was the primary impact factor, accounting for 56.5 % and 67.3 % of the variations in the FUS and BUE dates, respectively. We reconstructed, for the first time, the longest ice phenology over a large shallow lake with complex surface cover. We argue that DMTT can be effectively applied to retrieve ice phenology for other similar lakes, which has not been fully explored worldwide.</p>
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publishDate 2025-02-01
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series The Cryosphere
spelling doaj-art-5a3e7bcac44c4eb0924cf162263baddf2025-08-20T03:11:10ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242025-02-011984986810.5194/tc-19-849-2025Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023P. Huo0P. Lu1B. Cheng2M. Yu3Q. Wang4X. Li5Z. Li6State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, ChinaFinnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, 00101, FinlandState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China<p>Lake ice phenology plays a critical role in determining the hydrological and biogeochemical dynamics of catchments and regional climates. Lakes with complex shorelines and abundant aquatic vegetation are challenging for retrieving lake ice phenology via remote sensing data, primarily because of mixed pixels containing plants, land, and ice. To address this challenge, a new double-threshold moving <span class="inline-formula"><i>t</i></span>-test (DMTT) algorithm, which uses Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager–Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSM/I–SSMIS) sensor-derived brightness temperature data at a 3.125 km resolution and long-term ERA5 data, was applied to capture the ice phenology of Lake Ulansu from 1979 to 2023. Compared with the previous moving <span class="inline-formula"><i>t</i></span>-test algorithm, the new DMTT algorithm employs air temperature time series to assist in determining abrupt change points and uses two distinct thresholds to calculate the freeze-up start (FUS) and break-up end (BUE) dates. This method effectively improved the detection of ice information for mixed pixels. Furthermore, we extended Lake Ulansu's ice phenology back to 1941 via a random forest (RF) model. The reconstructed ice phenology from 1941 to 2023 indicated that Lake Ulansu had average FUS and BUE dates of 15 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 5 November and 25 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 6 March, respectively, with an average ice cover duration (ICD) of 130 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 8 d. Over the last 4 decades, the ICD has shortened by an average of 22 d. Air temperature was the primary impact factor, accounting for 56.5 % and 67.3 % of the variations in the FUS and BUE dates, respectively. We reconstructed, for the first time, the longest ice phenology over a large shallow lake with complex surface cover. We argue that DMTT can be effectively applied to retrieve ice phenology for other similar lakes, which has not been fully explored worldwide.</p>https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/19/849/2025/tc-19-849-2025.pdf
spellingShingle P. Huo
P. Lu
B. Cheng
M. Yu
Q. Wang
X. Li
Z. Li
Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
The Cryosphere
title Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
title_full Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
title_fullStr Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
title_full_unstemmed Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
title_short Reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover: a case study of Lake Ulansu during 1941–2023
title_sort reconstructing ice phenology of a lake with complex surface cover a case study of lake ulansu during 1941 2023
url https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/19/849/2025/tc-19-849-2025.pdf
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