A Combined Spatial- and Frequency-Domain Interferometer for Sea Ice Thickness Measurement 1

Abstract — Thickness of Arctic sea ice plays a major role in Earth’s climate and ocean circulation. An accurate measurement of this parameter on synoptic scales at regular intervals would provide a critical component for understanding the heat balance and air-sea-ice interactions which are keys for...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ziad A. Hussein, Benjamin Holt, Kyle C. Mcdonald, O Jordan, John Huang, Anhua Chu, Kyung Pak, Mike Gradziel, Yasuo Kuga, Akira Ishimaru, Sermsak Jaruwatanadilok, Prasad Gogineni Torry Akins, Don Perovich, Matthew Sturm
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
Arctic
Sea ice
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.148.7060
http://www.esto.nasa.gov/conferences/estc2005/papers/b5p3.pdf
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Summary:Abstract — Thickness of Arctic sea ice plays a major role in Earth’s climate and ocean circulation. An accurate measurement of this parameter on synoptic scales at regular intervals would provide a critical component for understanding the heat balance and air-sea-ice interactions which are keys for assessing the impacts of the changing polar climate. In this paper, we present new instrument technology for the remote sensing of sea ice thickness. This technology utilizes a combined spatial and frequency domain interferometric radar, providing angular and frequency correlation functions (ACF/FCF) between two radar waves with slightly differing VHF-band frequencies and incidence and observation angles. The sea ice thickness is derived from the interferometric phase of the ACF/FCF functions. This new instrument technology, the cryospheric advanced sensor (CAS), is currently being developed under the NASA/ESTO instrument incubator program (IIP). Designed for eventual implementation on a spacecraft, and the initial radar test-bed will be on a Twin Otter aircraft. The progress of several aspects of this project is presented 1.

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