MODIS observed seasonal and interannual variations of atmospheric conditions associated with hydrological cycle over Tibetan Plateau

This paper aims to provide a prototype research of how MODIS observations can help to better understand surface and atmosphere conditions over the Tibetan Plateau. Snow melt and summer rainfall over the Tibetan Plateau provide the origin for most of the rivers in South Asia. Therefore, adequately monitoring as many components of the hydrological cycle as possible over the Tibetan Plateau can make major contributions to predictions of drought/flood in the surrounding countries. Observing large, inaccessible high plateau regions is one unique advantage of satellite remote sensing. In this paper, five years ( 2000 - 2005) of aerosols, clouds, water vapor and cirrus observations measured by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA) Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS) reveal distinct seasonality and inter-annual variations over the Tibetan Plateau. Quantitative understanding of these atmospheric conditions is the first step for simulating land-atmosphere water budget and predicting snow coverage.