Polar Radar for Ice Sheet Measurements (PRISM)

We provide an overview of a project to develop and demonstrate radars for imaging the ice–bed interface, mapping shallow and deep internal layers, and measuring ice thickness. We developed an ultra-wideband very high-frequency (VHF) radar (120 to 300 MHz) for simultaneously measuring ice thickness, mapping internal layers at depth, and imaging the ice–bed interface, and an ultra high-frequency (UHF) ultra-wideband radar (500 to 2000 MHz) for fine-resolution mapping of near-surface internal layers. We used these radars to collect data at Summit Camp, Greenland, during July 2005, and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) deep drill core site during January 2006. These results provide us with an unprecedented view of basal characteristics and internal layers. We also developed an outreach program, a communications system, and rovers to facilitate geophysical measurements in the future.