Model development of microwave remote sensing of sea ice

• Main Authors: Lee, , Y.J, Yap, , H.J, Lim, , W.K, Ewe, , H.T, Chuah, , H.T
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Academy of Sciences Malaysia 2009
• Subjects: Q Science (General); Ross Island; Antarc*; Antarctica; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/3830/; http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/3830/1/28.pdf

Three techniques to retrieve information on sea ice thickness from both active and passive radar backscatter data are presented. The first inversion model is a combination of the radiative transfer theory with dense medium phase and amplitude correction theory (DMPACT), and the Levenberg-Marquardt optimization algorithm. The radiative transfer theory was applied as the forward model to generate radar backscatter data, while the DMPACT was included to account for the close spacing effect among the scatterers within the medium. The Levenberg-Marquardt optimization algorithm was then applied to reduce the error between the model generated radar backscatter data and the measured radar backscatter data from satellite images so that the sea ice thickness could be estimated. The second method presented was the neural network inversion method which utilizes a chain of neurons with variable weights. Once the network was fully operational it would be possible to predict the sea ice thickness, provided sufficient training data are given. The last method was the genetic algorithm which is a search technique used in order to predict the approximate sea ice thickness from the measured data. Data from ground truth measurements carried out in Ross Island, Antarctica, together with radar backscatter data extracted from purchased satellite images were used as input to verify the models. All three models were tested and successfully predicted sea ice thickness from actual terrain using the ground truth measurement data, with several constraints and assumptions placed to avoid problems during the retrieval process. While the models still have their own limitations, the potential use of the models for actual sea ice thickness retrieval was confirmed.