Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction
Firn compaction models inform mass-balance estimates and paleo-climate reconstructions, but current models introduce key uncertainties. For example, models disagree on the dependence of density and compaction on accumulation rate. Observations of compaction to test these models are rare, partly beca...
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Cambridge University Press
2022
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.83 https://doaj.org/article/f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e 2023-05-15T14:05:22+02:00 Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction Elizabeth Case Jonathan Kingslake 2022-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.83 https://doaj.org/article/f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e EN eng Cambridge University Press https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143021000836/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2021.83 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e Journal of Glaciology, Vol 68, Pp 139-152 (2022) Glacier geophysics glaciological instruments and methods ice rise polar firn radio-echo sounding Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.83 2023-03-12T01:30:57Z Firn compaction models inform mass-balance estimates and paleo-climate reconstructions, but current models introduce key uncertainties. For example, models disagree on the dependence of density and compaction on accumulation rate. Observations of compaction to test these models are rare, partly because in situ methods for measuring englacial strain are time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, shallow measurements may confound strain due to compaction with strain due to ice-sheet flow. We show that phase-sensitive radio-echo sounder (pRES) systems, typically deployed to measure sub-shelf melting or ice-sheet deformation, can be used to measure firn compaction and test firn models. We present two complementary methods for extracting compaction information from pRES data, along with a method for comparing compaction models to pRES observations. The methods make different assumptions about the density structure and vary in their need for independent density measurements. Compaction profiles computed from pRES data collected on three ice rises in West Antarctica are largely consistent with measured densities and a physics-based model. With their minimal logistic requirements, new pRES systems, such as autonomous pRES, could be inexpensively deployed to monitor firn compaction more widely. Existing phase-sensitive radar data may contain compaction information even when surveys targeted other processes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles West Antarctica Journal of Glaciology 68 267 139 152 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Glacier geophysics glaciological instruments and methods ice rise polar firn radio-echo sounding Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
spellingShingle |
Glacier geophysics glaciological instruments and methods ice rise polar firn radio-echo sounding Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 Elizabeth Case Jonathan Kingslake Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
topic_facet |
Glacier geophysics glaciological instruments and methods ice rise polar firn radio-echo sounding Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
description |
Firn compaction models inform mass-balance estimates and paleo-climate reconstructions, but current models introduce key uncertainties. For example, models disagree on the dependence of density and compaction on accumulation rate. Observations of compaction to test these models are rare, partly because in situ methods for measuring englacial strain are time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, shallow measurements may confound strain due to compaction with strain due to ice-sheet flow. We show that phase-sensitive radio-echo sounder (pRES) systems, typically deployed to measure sub-shelf melting or ice-sheet deformation, can be used to measure firn compaction and test firn models. We present two complementary methods for extracting compaction information from pRES data, along with a method for comparing compaction models to pRES observations. The methods make different assumptions about the density structure and vary in their need for independent density measurements. Compaction profiles computed from pRES data collected on three ice rises in West Antarctica are largely consistent with measured densities and a physics-based model. With their minimal logistic requirements, new pRES systems, such as autonomous pRES, could be inexpensively deployed to monitor firn compaction more widely. Existing phase-sensitive radar data may contain compaction information even when surveys targeted other processes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Elizabeth Case Jonathan Kingslake |
author_facet |
Elizabeth Case Jonathan Kingslake |
author_sort |
Elizabeth Case |
title |
Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
title_short |
Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
title_full |
Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
title_fullStr |
Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
title_full_unstemmed |
Phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
title_sort |
phase-sensitive radar as a tool for measuring firn compaction |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.83 https://doaj.org/article/f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e |
geographic |
West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology, Vol 68, Pp 139-152 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143021000836/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2021.83 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/f738ba3575ba41e18ac2170e6a5da42e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.83 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
68 |
container_issue |
267 |
container_start_page |
139 |
op_container_end_page |
152 |
_version_ |
1766277197293682688 |