Specifics of long-term dynamics of terrestrial water storage detected using GRACE satellite in Belgorod region

Abstract

GRACE monthly satellite data for the period from 2002 to 2016 were used to analyze the longterm dynamics of the terrestrial water storage in the Belgorod region of Russia. The correlation of satellite data with climatic water balance with a lag varying on the territory from 2 to 4 months was revealed. There was found a stable tendency to decrease in terrestrial water storage, and predominance of negative values on the territory of the Belgorod region since 2008. The minimum attains the lowest values in comparison with the whole studied period. However, seasonality of the changes is maintained throughout the entire analyzed time series. The frequency of changes in the terrestrial water storage throughout the entire area is not very clear: only the long-term maximum of the terrestrial water storage of the territory in 2006 is well expressed. Another, less pronounced local maximum was observed in 2013. Local long-term minima of the terrestrial water storage of the territory were in 2002, 2009 and 2015. There is a positive trend in the amplitude of seasonal fluctuations in the terrestrial water storage of the territory: the amplitude has been constantly increasing in recent years. The territory of the Belgorod region has negative long-term trend of terrestrial water storage with their rather large spatial variation. The angle of inclination of the trend decreases from north-west to south-east in the region. GRACE satellite data can serve as a fairly reliable detection indicator of the trend of terrestrial water storage in large areas.