Articles | Volume 22, issue 16
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4291-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4291-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
28 Aug 2025
Research article |
| 28 Aug 2025
| 28 Aug 2025
Assessing the effect of forest management on above-ground carbon stock by remote sensing
Sofie Van Winckel
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
Jonas Simons
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
Stef Lhermitte
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
Bart Muys
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
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Johanna Van Passel, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Paulo Negri Bernardino, Wanda De Keersmaecker, Stef Lhermitte, Bianca Fazio Rius, and Ben Somers
Biogeosciences, 23, 2545–2567, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2545-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2545-2026, 2026
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The Amazon forest is important for carbon storage, but climate change might push parts of it towards a tipping point into a degraded state. By studying satellite trends and tree diversity across different spatial scales, we found a larger tipping risk at smaller spatial scales than for the whole region. We also found that higher tree diversity makes the forest more stable and thus less likely to tip, although the effect is relatively weak, highlighting the importance of protecting biodiversity.
Shashwat Shukla, Bert Wouters, Sanne Veldhuijsen, Sophie de Roda Husman, Weiran Li, and Stef Lhermitte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1263, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1263, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Observation (EO).
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Antarctic ice shelves help slow ice flow into the ocean, but their stability depends partly on the upper firn layer. Air in firn affects how much meltwater can be stored, while grain size helps describe firn structure. We combined fifteen years of satellite radar data with physical models to estimate these properties across Antarctic ice shelves. Our results provide a new way to monitor conditions linked to meltwater build-up and possible instability.
Charlotte Braat, Stef Lhermitte, Marie Claire ten Veldhuis, Rolf Hut, and Ruud van der Ent
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1439, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1439, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Observation (EO).
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Deforestation influences the regional and global water cycle. In this paper, deforestation data is combined with data that links rainfall to where this water evaporated. We estimate to what extent rainfall in the region is potentially impacted by deforestation elsewhere. We find that most regions are mostly impacted by deforestation outside of the region. We could not yet confirm a generic link with actual rainfall due to limitations, complex system interactions and region specific dynamics.
Thore Kausch, Stef Lhermitte, Marie G. P. Cavitte, Eric Keenan, and Shashwat Shukla
The Cryosphere, 20, 511–526, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-511-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-511-2026, 2026
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Determining the net balance of snow accumulation on the surface of Antarctica is challenging. Sentinel-1 satellite sensors, which can see through snow, offer a promising method. However, linking their signals to snow amounts is complex due to snow's internal structure and limited on-the-ground data. This study found a connection between satellite signals and snow levels at three locations in Dronning Maud Land. Using models and field data, the method shows potential for wider use in Antarctica.
Julius Sommer, Maaike Izeboud, Sophie de Roda Husman, Bert Wouters, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 5903–5912, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5903-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5903-2025, 2025
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Ice shelves, the floating extensions of Antarctica’s ice sheet, play a crucial role in preventing mass ice loss, and understanding their stability is crucial. If surface meltwater lakes drain rapidly through fractures, the ice shelf can destabilize. We analyzed satellite images of four years from the Shackleton Ice Shelf and found that lake drainages occurred in areas where damage is present and developing, and coincided with rising tides, offering insights into the drivers of this process.
Ann-Sofie P. Zinck, Bert Wouters, Franka Jesse, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 5509–5529, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5509-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5509-2025, 2025
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Ocean-driven basal melting of ice shelves can carve channels into the ice shelf base. These channels represent potential weak areas of the ice shelf. On George VI Ice shelf we discover a new channel which onset coincides with the 2015 El-Nino Southern Oscillation event. Since the channel has developed rapidly and is located within a highly channelized area close to the ice shelf front it poses a potential thread of ice shelf retreat.
Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Alessandro Battaglia, Maximilian Maahn, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 4875–4892, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4875-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4875-2025, 2025
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Snowfall measurements at high latitudes are crucial for estimating ice sheet mass balance. Spaceborne radar and radiometer missions help estimate snowfall but face uncertainties. This work evaluates uncertainties in snowfall estimates from a fixed near-nadir radar (CloudSat-like) and a conically scanning radar (WIVERN-like), showing that a WIVERN-like radar will provide better estimates than a CloudSat-like radar at smaller spatial and temporal scales.
Weiran Li, Stef Lhermitte, Bert Wouters, Cornelis Slobbe, Max Brils, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 19, 3419–3442, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025, 2025
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Due to recurrent melt and refreezing events in recent decades, the snow conditions over Greenland have changed. To observe this, we use a parameter (leading edge width; LeW) derived from satellite altimetry and analyse its spatial and temporal variations. By comparing the LeW variations with modelled firn parameters, we concluded that the 2012 melt event and the recent and increasingly frequent melt events have a long-lasting impact on the volume scattering of Greenland firn.
Weiran Li, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 37–61, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025, 2025
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This study used a machine learning approach to estimate the densities over the Antarctic Ice Sheet, particularly in the areas where the snow is usually dry. The motivation is to establish a link between satellite parameters to snow densities, as measurements are difficult for people to take on site. It provides valuable insights into the complexities of the relationship between satellite parameters and firn density and provides potential for further studies.
Lena G. Buth, Valeria Di Biase, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Stef Lhermitte, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Sophie de Roda Husman, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Bert Wouters
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2000, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2000, 2023
Preprint archived
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Liquid meltwater which is stored in air bubbles in the compacted snow near the surface of Antarctica can affect ice shelf stability. In order to detect the presence of such firn aquifers over large scales, satellite remote sensing is needed. In this paper, we present our new detection method using radar satellite data as well as the results for the whole Antarctic Peninsula. Firn aquifers are found in the north and northwest of the peninsula, in agreement with locations predicted by models.
Ann-Sofie Priergaard Zinck, Bert Wouters, Erwin Lambert, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 17, 3785–3801, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3785-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3785-2023, 2023
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The ice shelves in Antarctica are melting from below, which puts their stability at risk. Therefore, it is important to observe how much and where they are melting. In this study we use high-resolution satellite imagery to derive 50 m resolution basal melt rates of the Dotson Ice Shelf. With the high resolution of our product we are able to uncover small-scale features which may in the future help us to understand the state and fate of the Antarctic ice shelves and their (in)stability.
Diana Francis, Ricardo Fonseca, Kyle S. Mattingly, Stef Lhermitte, and Catherine Walker
The Cryosphere, 17, 3041–3062, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3041-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3041-2023, 2023
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Role of Foehn Winds in ice and snow conditions at the Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica.
Lena G. Buth, Bert Wouters, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Stef Lhermitte, Peter Kuipers Munneke, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-127, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-127, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
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Liquid meltwater which is stored in air bubbles in the compacted snow near the surface of Antarctica can affect ice shelf stability. In order to detect the presence of such firn aquifers over large scales, satellite remote sensing is needed. In this paper, we present our new detection method using radar satellite data as well as the results for the whole Antarctic Peninsula. Firn aquifers are found in the north and northwest of the peninsula, in agreement with locations predicted by models.
Weiran Li, Cornelis Slobbe, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 16, 2225–2243, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, 2022
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This study proposes a new method for correcting the slope-induced errors in satellite radar altimetry. The slope-induced errors can significantly affect the height estimations of ice sheets if left uncorrected. This study applies the method to radar altimetry data (CryoSat-2) and compares the performance with two existing methods. The performance is assessed by comparison with independent height measurements from ICESat-2. The assessment shows that the method performs promisingly.
Zhongyang Hu, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Stef Lhermitte, Maaike Izeboud, and Michiel van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 15, 5639–5658, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5639-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5639-2021, 2021
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Antarctica is shrinking, and part of the mass loss is caused by higher temperatures leading to more snowmelt. We use computer models to estimate the amount of melt, but this can be inaccurate – specifically in the areas with the most melt. This is because the model cannot account for small, darker areas like rocks or darker ice. Thus, we trained a computer using artificial intelligence and satellite images that showed these darker areas. The model computed an improved estimate of melt.
Weiran Li, Stef Lhermitte, and Paco López-Dekker
The Cryosphere, 15, 5309–5322, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5309-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5309-2021, 2021
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Surface meltwater lakes have been observed on several Antarctic ice shelves in field studies and optical images. Meltwater lakes can drain and refreeze, increasing the fragility of the ice shelves. The combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter and interferometric information (InSAR) can provide the cryosphere community with the possibility to continuously assess the dynamics of the meltwater lakes, potentially helping to facilitate the study of ice shelves in a changing climate.
Annelies Voordendag, Marion Réveillet, Shelley MacDonell, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 15, 4241–4259, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, 2021
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The sensitivity of two snow models (SNOWPACK and SnowModel) to various parameterizations and atmospheric forcing biases is assessed in the semi-arid Andes of Chile in winter 2017. Models show that sublimation is a main driver of ablation and that its relative contribution to total ablation is highly sensitive to the selected albedo parameterization and snow roughness length. The forcing and parameterizations are more important than the model choice, despite differences in physical complexity.
Diana Francis, Kyle S. Mattingly, Stef Lhermitte, Marouane Temimi, and Petra Heil
The Cryosphere, 15, 2147–2165, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, 2021
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The unexpected September 2019 calving event from the Amery Ice Shelf, the largest since 1963 and which occurred almost a decade earlier than expected, was triggered by atmospheric extremes. Explosive twin polar cyclones provided a deterministic role in this event by creating oceanward sea surface slope triggering the calving. The observed record-anomalous atmospheric conditions were promoted by blocking ridges and Antarctic-wide anomalous poleward transport of heat and moisture.
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Short summary
Insights on management's impact on forest carbon stocks are crucial for sustainable forest management practices. However, accurately monitoring carbon stocks remains a technological challenge. This study estimates above-ground carbon stock in managed and unmanaged forests using passive optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and light detection and ranging (lidar) remote sensing data. Results show promising potential in using multiple remote sensing predictors and publicly available high-resolution data for mapping forest carbon stocks.
Insights on management's impact on forest carbon stocks are crucial for sustainable forest...
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