TITLE:
MODIS-Derived Nighttime Arctic Land-Surface Temperature Nascent Trends and Non-Stationary Changes
AUTHORS:
Reginald R. Muskett
KEYWORDS:
MODIS, Aqua-Terra, Nighttime, Arctic, Land-Surface Temperature, Trends, Non-Stationary Changes
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Climate Change,
Vol.3 No.2,
June
25,
2014
ABSTRACT: Arctic
nighttime land-surface temperatures derived by the Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors onboard the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites
are investigated. We use the local equator crossing times of 22:30 and 01:30,
respectively, in the analysis of changes, trends and variations on the Arctic
region and within 120° sectors. We show increases in the number of days above 0°C
and significant increase trends over their decadal periods of March 2000
through 2010 (MODIS Terra) and July 2002 through 2012 (MODIS Aqua). The MODIS
Aqua nighttime Arctic land-surface temperature change, +0.2°C ± 0.2°C with
P-value of 0.01 indicates a reduction relative to the MODIS Terra nighttime
Arctic land-surface temperature change, +1.8°C ± 0.3°C with P-value of 0.01.
This reduction is a decadal non-stationary component of the Arctic land-surface
temperature changes. The reduction is greatest, -1.3°C ± 0.2°C with P-value of
0.01 in the Eastern Russia— Western North American
sector of the Arctic during the July 2002 through 2012.