Full Picture

Article analysis:

The article discusses the use of satellite microwave remote sensing to monitor surface water inundation in the Arctic-Boreal region and its potential impact on land-atmosphere water, energy, and carbon fluxes. The study reports on recent (2003-2010) surface inundation patterns across the region and within major permafrost zones using daily fractional open water cover (Fw) retrievals from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E). The AMSR-E Fw maps reflect strong microwave sensitivity to sub-grid scale open water variability and compare favorably with alternative, static Fw maps derived from finer scale Landsat, MODIS, and SRTM radar data.

The article highlights the dynamic seasonal and annual variability in surface inundation that is unresolved in static Fw maps. The AMSR-E Fw record also corresponds strongly with regional wet/dry cycles inferred from basin discharge records. A regional trend analysis of the 8-year AMSR-E record shows no significant Arctic-Boreal region-wide Fw trend for the period but reveals contrasting inundation changes within different PF zones. Widespread Fw wetting is detected within continuous and discontinuous PF zones, while sporadic/isolated PF areas show widespread Fw drying trends.

The article provides critical insight into the influence of permafrost thaw on surface hydrology but has some limitations. One limitation is that it does not provide a comprehensive analysis of all factors affecting surface water extent in the Arctic-Boreal region. Another limitation is that it does not explore counterarguments or alternative explanations for observed trends in surface inundation.

Overall, the article presents a well-supported argument for using satellite microwave remote sensing to monitor surface water inundation in the Arctic-Boreal region. However, readers should be aware of potential biases or limitations in the study's methodology or interpretation of results.