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      The impact of early-summer snow properties on Antarctic landfast sea-ice X-band backscatter

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      General Information:

      Citation:
      Paul, S. , Willmes, S. , Hoppmann, M. , Hunkeler, P. , Wesche, C. , Nicolaus, M. , Heinemann, G. and Timmermann, R. (2015): The impact of early-summer snow properties on Antarctic landfast sea-ice X-band backscatter , Annals of Glaciology, 56 (69), pp. 263-273 . doi: 10.3189/2015AoG69A715
      Cite this page as:
      hdl:10013/epic.45622
      DOI:
      https://doi.org/10.3189/2015AoG69A715
      Contact Email:
      Christine.Wesche@awi.de
      Related Data:

      Abstract:

      Up to now, snow cover on Antarctic sea ice and its impact on radar backscatter, particularly after the onset of freeze/thaw processes, are not well understood. Here we present a combined analysis of in situ observations of snow properties from the landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Antarctica, and high-resolution TerraSAR-X backscatter data, for the transition from austral spring (November 2012) to summer (January 2013). The physical changes in the seasonal snow cover during that time are reflected in the evolution of TerraSAR-X backscatter. We are able to explain 76–93% of the spatio-temporal variability of the TerraSAR-X backscatter signal with up to four snowpack parameters with a root-mean-squared error of 0.87–1.62 dB, using a simple multiple linear model. Over the complete study, and especially after the onset of early-melt processes and freeze/thaw cycles, the majority of variability in the backscatter is influenced by changes in snow/ice interface temperature, snow depth and top-layer grain size. This suggests it may be possible to retrieve snow physical properties over Antarctic sea ice from X-band SAR backscatter.

      Further Details:

      Item Type:
      Article
      Authors:
      Paul, Stephan ; Willmes, Sascha ; Hoppmann, Mario ; Hunkeler, Priska ; Wesche, Christine ; Nicolaus, Marcel ; Heinemann, Günther ; Timmermann, Ralph
      Divisions:
      AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Polar Meteorology
      AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Physical Oceanography of the Polar Seas
      AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Climate Dynamics
      AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Sea Ice Physics
      Primary Division:
      Organizations > AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Sea Ice Physics
      Programs:
      Helmholtz Research Programs > PACES II (2014-2018) > TOPIC 1: Changes and regional feedbacks in Arctic and Antarctic > WP 1.2: Ice sheet dynamics and mass balance
      Primary Topic:
      Helmholtz Programs > Helmholtz Research Programs > PACES II (2014-2018) > TOPIC 1: Changes and regional feedbacks in Arctic and Antarctic > WP 1.2: Ice sheet dynamics and mass balance
      Eprint ID:
      37962
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