The depth of penetration in Antarctic firn at 10 GHz

Author

Davis, Curt H. ; Poznyak, Viadimir I.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Missouri Univ., Independence, MO, USA

Volume

31

Issue

5

fYear

1993

fDate

9/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1107

Lastpage

1111

Abstract

Measurements taken by an X-band pulse radar system in East Antarctica in 1987 were analyzed to determine the depth of penetration of radar energy in polar firn. A minimum estimate of the penetration depth at 10 GHz for the cold and dry polar plateau region is approximately 4.7 m. Spatial variations in the amount of signal penetration were observed and are related to latitude, surface elevation, and mean annual temperature. The amount of signal penetration and its spatial variation are important factors that should be considered when processing datasets from microwave remote sensing systems that operate in the polar regions

Keywords

ice; radiowave propagation; remote sensing by radar; snow; 10 GHz; 4.7 m; Antarctic firn; East Antarctica; SHF; X-band pulse radar system; ice sheets; microwave remote sensing systems; penetration depth; polar plateau region; spatial variations; Antarctica; Electromagnetic heating; Energy measurement; Ice; Ocean temperature; Pulse measurements; Radar measurements; Radar scattering; Sea surface; Spaceborne radar;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/36.263784

Filename

263784