A Comparison of Airborne Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures and Snowpack Properties across the Boreal Forests of Finland and Western Canada

The seasonal snowpack across the boreal forest is an important national resource in both Canada and Finland, contributing freshwater for agriculture, human consumption, and hydropower generation. In both countries, satellite passive microwave data are utilized to provide operational information on snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE) throughout the snow cover season. Airborne passive microwave surveys conducted independently across Finland and western Canada during March and April 2005 (and again during March 2006) have provided the opportunity to assess the level of similarity in snowpack physical properties and brightness temperature response in these two countries.