Monitoring time-varying terrestrial water storage changes using daily GNSS measurements in Yunnan, southwest China

Abstract Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) instruments provide a powerful tool to investigate spatiotemporal variations in regional-scale terrestrial water storage based on the solid Earth's elastic response hydrologic loading signals. Here, we implemented an independent component analysis-based inversion method changes and hydrometeorological extremes (e.g., heavy precipitation droughts) Yunnan. Our time-varying allows us reproduce evolution of changes. Three components (ICs) were chosen our model. The first two ICs contribute 96.9% 2.1% data variance, respectively, reveal annual at different temporal scales. third IC slightly explains network time series possibly correlates with nonlinear averaged GNSS, Gravity Recovery Climate Experiment (GRACE), Land Data Assimilation (GLDAS) multi-annual seasonal have good consistency their signatures. All datasets suggest gradually increasing trend from northeast southwest peak amplitudes ~355 mm GNSS-inferred estimates are larger than those ~167–226 mm derived GLDAS GRACE models. Hydrometeorological tracked various series, GNSS-derived deficits hydrological drought characterization. We also find agreement between daily anomalies, GNSS-, GLDAS-based during 2015 winter rainstorm. results demonstrate that continuously operating GNSS is complementary remotely measure valuable insights into operational monitoring.