Low-frequency radar sounding of ice in East Antarctica and southern Greenland

Abstract

We discuss a decameter-wavelength airborne radar sounder, the Warm Ice Sounding Explorer (WISE), that provides ice thickness in areas where radar signal penetration at higher frequencies is expected to be limited. Here we report results for three campaigns conducted in Greenland (2008, 2009, 2010) and two in Antarctica (2009, 2010). Comparisons with higher-frequency radar data indicate an accuracy of ±55m for ice-thickness measurements in Greenland and ±25m in Antarctica. We also estimate ice thickness of the Qassimiut lobe in southwest Greenland, where few ice-thickness measurements have been made, demonstrating that WISE penetrates in strongly scattering environments.