Ran, Youhua; Li, Xin; Jin, Rui; Guo, Jianwen (2015). Remote sensing of the mean annual surface temperature and surface frost number for mapping permafrost in China. ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH, 47(2), 255-265.

Abstract
The use of satellite-infrared sensors to map permafrost distribution is a new research topic. Two important permafrost indices, the mean annual surface temperature (MAST) and the surface frost number (SFN), are estimated using MODIS Aqua/Terra LST products based on a pragmatic scheme proposed in this study. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the full use of every value at any time and at any pixel of MODIS LST products. This scheme is simple, easy to implement, and independent of other observations. The accuracy of the method depends only on the accuracy of the MODIS LST products. Eight years of data sets from 2003 to 2010 were generated using this scheme to reflect the spatial distribution of permafrost and the surface thermal state. A comparison between the southern/lower limit of permafrost and results from the 8-year average MAST and SFN show that the 0 degrees C MAST isotherm and 0.5 contour of SFN agree well with the identified southern/lower limits of permafrost in China.

DOI:
10.1657/AAAR00C-13-306

ISSN:
1523-0430