Antarctic sea ice elevation from satellite radar altimetry

Abstract

In situ measurements of sea ice thickness from ship and upward-looking sonar are used to assess the potential for satellite radar altimetry to provide information on Antarctic sea ice thickness. A climatology of satellite ice elevation estimates is compared to an Antarctic sea ice thickness climatology made from the Antarctic Sea Ice Processes and Climate (ASPeCt) data set. In addition monthly, regional, satellite ice elevation estimates are compared to ULS ice draft data. The results show reasonable spatial agreement between the satellite and in-situ data, and show regional signals of change in ice elevation in line with that which would be expected. The results show some promise for providing information on Antarctic ice thickness from radar altimetry missions such as CryoSat. However, further studies into snow and ice density and the radar penetration into the Antarctic snow cover are required. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.