Sea-ice Reconnaissance by Radar

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Tabata, Tadashi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1975
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Okhotsk; Journal of Glaciology; okhotsk sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034389; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000034389

Abstract To observe the distribution of pack ice off the coast of the Okhotsk Sea coast of Hokkaido, a radar network consisting of three radar stations was constructed during 1967-69. It covers an area about 70 km wide and 250 km long. The stations are remote-controlled by radio from the Sea Ice Research Laboratory and the information obtained is transmitted back to the laboratory and observed there. Radar has the great advantage of being able to make continuous observations of ice. Usually several special features can be seen on the radar screen, and they are used as markers for the observation of movement. It is ascertained that the average pattern of drift in this area is from north to south-east along the coast line and the ice field undergoes internal deformation during its drift. To get some information on the surface topography of ice from A-scope radar, the intensity of echo signals is classified into 16 steps by computer. To obtain the movement of an ice field from the numerical radar information, a modified two-dimensional cross-correlation method was tested.