Examples of different techniques for glaciers motion monitoring using InSAR and RPAS

Abstract

Glaciers are an important part of Earth´s surface and play an important role in oceanology and climatology. Nowadays, in a changing climate it is necessary to monitor a glacier’s stay. For a large glacier area, satellite data is used, and for small areas or important parts of a glacier, other techniques can be used. It means, for example, photogrammetry, GNSS or the new RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft system) technology. RPAS measurements should be focused on the movement of a glaciers face. In this project, two different RPAS types (winged drone and multicopter) were tested in Greenland and in Iceland during the last two years. The second technology used for glacier movement detection was satellite images–in this case SAR and InSAR measurement. Satellite data were tested on an inland glacier area and the movement was based on the installation of four corner reflectors directly on a monitored area in western Greenland. TerraSAR-X data were used. First, four acquisitions were performed in 2015, directly after corner reflector installation, then two acquisitions in 2017. The project experience and results are discussed in this paper.