SEASONAL LAKE SURFACE TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN THE ADIRONDACKS VIA REMOTE SENSING

The Adirondack Park in upstate New York is renowned for its strict land use laws aimed at preserving the pristine condition of its lakes. However, anthropogenic impacts continue to pose threats to lake health. This study investigates the health of selected Adirondack lakes by analyzing extensive field data collected in the late 1970s and 1980s, primarily focusing on lake acidification caused by coal plant emissions. Ongoing concerns regarding algal blooms, rising temperatures, and other threats necessitate a comprehensive understanding of climatological changes in the region. Remote sensing observations from multiple satellites, including the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat series, are utilized to monitor lake health over long periods of time. This study explores the capabilities and usage of these satellites to assess land and lake surface parameters. By extracting satellite data, seasonal statistics are analyzed to uncover trends in lake temperature and seasonality. The findings highlight the importance of remote sensing in retrospectively measuring all seasons, identifying significant warming rates, and emphasizing the need for in situ measurements to validate satellite products and preserve the health of lakes within the Adirondack region.