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Penetration depth of interferometric synthetic‐aperture radar signals in snow and ice
Author(s) -
Rignot Eric,
Echelmeyer Keith,
Krabill William
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012484
Subject(s) - geology , firn , snow , interferometric synthetic aperture radar , glacier , synthetic aperture radar , glaciology , cryosphere , ice sheet , sea ice , remote sensing , geomorphology , oceanography , stratigraphy , paleontology , tectonics
Digital elevation models of glaciated terrain produced by the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) airborne interferometric synthetic‐aperture radar (InSAR) instrument in Greenland and Alaska at the C‐ (5.6 cm wavelength) and L‐band (24‐cm) frequencies were compared with surface elevation measured from airborne laser altimetry to estimate the phase center of the interferometric depth, or penetration depth, δ p . On cold polar firn at Greenland summit, δ p = 9±2m at C‐ and 14±4m at L‐band. On the exposed ice surface of Jakobshavn Isbrae, west Greenland, δ p = 1±2 m at C‐ and 3±3 m at L‐band except on smooth, marginal ice where δ p =15±5 m. On colder marginal ice of northeast Greenland, δ p reaches 60 to 120 m at L‐band. On the temperate ice of Brady Glacier, Alaska, δ p is 4±2 m at C‐and 12±6 m at L‐band, with little dependence on snow/ice conditions. The implications of the results on the scientific use of InSAR data over snow/ice terrain is discussed.