C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars
Snow cover on sea ice poses a challenge for radar measurements as microwave penetration into snow is not yet fully understood. In this study, the aim is to investigate microwave penetration into snow on Arctic sea ice using commercial C (6 GHz) and K (26 GHz) band tank radars. Nadir-looking radar me...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305523000472/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1826585167382183936 |
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| author | Arttu Jutila Christian Haas |
| author_facet | Arttu Jutila Christian Haas |
| author_sort | Arttu Jutila |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Snow cover on sea ice poses a challenge for radar measurements as microwave penetration into snow is not yet fully understood. In this study, the aim is to investigate microwave penetration into snow on Arctic sea ice using commercial C (6 GHz) and K (26 GHz) band tank radars. Nadir-looking radar measurements collected at nine study locations over first-year and multiyear landfast sea ice in the Lincoln Sea in May 2018 are analysed together with detailed measurements of the physical properties of the snow cover to determine the dominant scattering horizons at both frequencies. They are evaluated for the feasibility to determine snow depth. The results show that in 39% of the measurements and only on first-year ice a major fraction of the C band radar backscatter originated closer to the snow–ice interface potentially enabling snow depth retrieval. At K band, 81% of the radar returns originated from the snow surface. Partly confirming the findings of previous studies, however, the analysis was potentially hampered by relatively warm air temperatures (up to $-0.9^\circ$C) during the study period as well as stratigraphic features and inconclusive microwave interaction with the saline basal layers found in the snow cover on first-year ice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:08:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94f0590f42894c2ca7f3ca0bef9478cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-14T15:49:20Z |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-94f0590f42894c2ca7f3ca0bef9478cf2025-02-24T08:03:50ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442025-01-016510.1017/aog.2023.47C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radarsArttu Jutila0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6115-1687Christian Haas1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7674-3500Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, GermanyAlfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany Previously at Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaSnow cover on sea ice poses a challenge for radar measurements as microwave penetration into snow is not yet fully understood. In this study, the aim is to investigate microwave penetration into snow on Arctic sea ice using commercial C (6 GHz) and K (26 GHz) band tank radars. Nadir-looking radar measurements collected at nine study locations over first-year and multiyear landfast sea ice in the Lincoln Sea in May 2018 are analysed together with detailed measurements of the physical properties of the snow cover to determine the dominant scattering horizons at both frequencies. They are evaluated for the feasibility to determine snow depth. The results show that in 39% of the measurements and only on first-year ice a major fraction of the C band radar backscatter originated closer to the snow–ice interface potentially enabling snow depth retrieval. At K band, 81% of the radar returns originated from the snow surface. Partly confirming the findings of previous studies, however, the analysis was potentially hampered by relatively warm air temperatures (up to $-0.9^\circ$C) during the study period as well as stratigraphic features and inconclusive microwave interaction with the saline basal layers found in the snow cover on first-year ice.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305523000472/type/journal_articlesea icesnowremote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Arttu Jutila Christian Haas C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars Annals of Glaciology sea ice snow remote sensing |
| title | C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars |
| title_full | C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars |
| title_fullStr | C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars |
| title_full_unstemmed | C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars |
| title_short | C and K band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off-the-shelf tank radars |
| title_sort | c and k band microwave penetration into snow on sea ice studied with off the shelf tank radars |
| topic | sea ice snow remote sensing |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305523000472/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arttujutila candkbandmicrowavepenetrationintosnowonseaicestudiedwithofftheshelftankradars AT christianhaas candkbandmicrowavepenetrationintosnowonseaicestudiedwithofftheshelftankradars |