Dr. Justin Pflug

University of Maryland

Monday September 30, 2024, 12 PM ET

RSVP to attend in-person

Hybrid (In-Person & Virtual):

This seminar will be held at noon at Rm 4102 of ESSIC, 5825 University Research Ct. College Park, MD 20740. In-person attendance is welcome with refreshment provided. Zoom is also provided for virtual participants.

Abstract:

Seasonal snow plays a vital role in Earth’s climate and hydrologic systems, supplying freshwater to approximately 2 billion people and sustaining local ecosystems. Despite its importance, there is currently no dedicated satellite for snow monitoring. As a result, the snow research community relies on opportunistic remote sensing data from existing satellite constellations to assess the global distribution, volume, and seasonal changes of snow water resources. 

This presentation introduces three innovative methods for estimating snow by integrating remote sensing observations from various satellites with both physically based and data-driven models. We demonstrate how snow cover observations can be used to 1) identify historical periods with similar montane snowfall patterns, 2) reconstruct and simulate complex snow features such as wind drifts, and 3) derive global snow distribution using machine learning techniques. Finally, we discuss how a snow-focused satellite mission could enhance global snow estimates and the downstream impact on water resources, and emphasize the benefits of synthesizing data from multiple land surface models and remote sensing sources. 

Biosketch:

Dr. Justin Pflug is an Assistant Research Scientist with the University of Maryland Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) and the Hydrological Sciences Laboratory at NASA Goddard. His research focuses on modeling and remote sensing of seasonal snow, with a focus on data assimilation in mountainous landscapes. In addition to his modeling and remote sensing backgrounds, Pflug has supported multiple field data campaigns, including NASA’s SnowEx multi-year field experiment. As part of his role, Dr. Pflug served as a mentor for NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project American Indian and Alaska Native STEM Engagement program (MAIANSE), and supported the US Fish and Wildlife on species status assessments for snow-adapted wildlife species. Prior to joining ESSIC in 2022, Justin earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington in 2021. 

Hybrid (In-Person & Virtual):

This is a hybrid (in-person & virtual) seminar with refreshments served at Rm 4102, 5825 University Ct, MD

Event site: https://go.umd.edu/pflug

Zoom Webinar: https://go.umd.edu/pflugwebinar

Zoom Meeting ID: 966 0768 0104

Zoom password: essic

US Toll: +13017158592
Global call-in numbers: https://umd.zoom.us/u/aMElEpvNu

For IT assistance:
Cazzy Medley: cazzy@umd.edu

Resources:

Seminar schedule & archive: https://go.umd.edu/essicseminar

Seminar Google calendar: https://go.umd.edu/essicseminarcalendar

Seminar recordings on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESSICUMD