Elevation Dependent Landscape Processes in Rapidly Warming Sub-Arctic Mountains: Influences of Snow, Temperature and Vegetation

The loss of spring snow in the Northern Hemisphere has been dramatic. From 1967 to 2008 snow cover decreased by 14% in May and 46% in June, with a simultaneous reduction in snow cover duration of 6 – 8 days per decade in both summer and fall. These effects have been particularly pronounced in the Kluane region of the southwest Yukon, making the area well suited for a detailed study of the effects of the reciprocal interactions of snow cover decline with ecological, geographical and climatological features. The mountainous Kluane region, like most of the Arctic, is difficult to access and has few long-term ground-based observations, which necessitates the use of remote sensing and mathematical modelling to determine surface characteristics. This thesis integrates data from diverse sources including meteorological stations, field albedo measurements, downscaled surface temperature, infrared Land Surface Temperature (LST), snow cover, land cover, and cloud cover to quantify the snow albedo feedback in the southwest Yukon.

Authors: Scott Norman Williamson

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