Recent Changes in the Microwave Scattering Properties of the Antarctic Ice Sheet

• Main Authors: Andrew W. Bingham, Mark R. Drinkwater
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: emission; azimuthal anisotropy; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.42.528; http://polar.jpl.nasa.gov/Publications/Bingham_Drinkwater_TGARS00.pdf

Time-series, satellite microwave data are used to monitor and quantify changes in the scattering properties of the Antarctic ice sheet. Daily, ERS scatterometer #EScat# and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager #SSM/I# image data, acquired since 1992 are analyzed to understand the seasonal and interannual changes over the ice sheet. For regions of the ice sheet where azimuthal modulation is negligible, seasonal cycles are observed in both the EScat #amplitude #0.5 dB# and SSM/I data #amplitude#10 K#. These cycles are attributed to seasonal changes in surface temperature. Interannual variability in the time-series signatures appears to be associated with accumulation. There is also evidence to suggest that shifts in the wind direction can alter the backscatter through azimuthal modulation. Over the period 1992-97, large trends are observed in the EScat ## -0.3 dB yr ,1 # and SSM#I ## 1 K yr ,1 # signatures over several regions in Antarctica. These changes typically occur over ice shelv.