Airborne Sea Ice Thickness Profiling Using an Impulse Radar.

• Main Author: Morey,Rexford M
• Other Authors: GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY SYSTEMS INC BURLINGTON MASS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1975
• Subjects: Helicopters; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Active & Passive Radar Detection & Equipment; *HELICOPTERS; *SEA ICE; *RADAR MAPPING; FLIGHT TESTING; THICKNESS; AIRBORNE; NAVIGATION; RADAR ANTENNAS; RADAR PULSES; AIRCRAFT ANTENNAS; NORTHWEST TERRITORIES; ICEBREAKERS; Ice profiling; ESP(Electromagnetic Subsurface Profiling); Electromagnetic subsurface profiling; Arctic; Inuvik; Northwest Territories; Ice; permafrost; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA031306; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA031306

The remote measurement of sea ice thickness from a mobile platform has been a goal of researchers and organizations, such as the U.S. Coast Guard, for many years. Ice thickness data is needed over large areas for icebreakers operation and navigation. The objective of this contract is to evaluate a successful ground-based sea ice profiling radar when adapted to a helicopter platform. The electronic and recording equipment were mounted in a small helicopter and the radar antenna was slung on a rope 14 m. below the helicopter. The thickness of fresh water ice and sea ice was successfully measured in the Canadian Arctic near Inuvik, N.W.T. Over 50 km. of first-year sea ice were continuously profiled. The ice thickness varied from 0.5 m. to 2 m. and the wind-swept snow cover varied from zero to 0.3 m. In the traverse mode, sea ice thickness was continuously measured at an altitude of 40 m. and a speed of 65 km/hr. Theoretical considerations and experimental results are given. (Author)