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Antarctic sea ice elevation from satellite radar altimetry
Author(s) -
Giles Katharine A.,
Laxon Seymour W.,
Worby Anthony P.
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1029/2007gl031572
Subject(s) - geology , sea ice , sea ice thickness , cryosphere , elevation (ballistics) , sea ice concentration , antarctic sea ice , satellite , snow , climatology , radar , ice shelf , arctic ice pack , remote sensing , geomorphology , telecommunications , geometry , mathematics , aerospace engineering , computer science , engineering
In situ measurements of sea ice thickness from ship and upward‐looking sonar are used to assess the potential for satellite radar altimetry to provide information on Antarctic sea ice thickness. A climatology of satellite ice elevation estimates is compared to an Antarctic sea ice thickness climatology made from the Antarctic Sea Ice Processes and Climate (ASPeCt) data set. In addition monthly, regional, satellite ice elevation estimates are compared to ULS ice draft data. The results show reasonable spatial agreement between the satellite and in‐situ data, and show regional signals of change in ice elevation in line with that which would be expected. The results show some promise for providing information on Antarctic ice thickness from radar altimetry missions such as CryoSat. However, further studies into snow and ice density and the radar penetration into the Antarctic snow cover are required.