Sensitivity Of Elevations Observed By Satellite Radar Altimeter Over Ice Sheets To Variations In Backscatter Power And Derived Corrections
Abstract
Radar-altimeter-measured surface elevations over ice sheets are sensitive to changes in the surface backscatter power that vary temporally and geographically. A correction is needed to extract the real elevation change (dH/dt) from the altimetry- measured ranges using either the backscatter coefficient (σ0) or the Automatic Gain control (AGC) as a measure of the backscatter power. We derive sensitivities between observed changes in elevation and changes in the backscatter power using three methods, which give different sensitivities (short-term, mixed-term, and long-term) and different correlation coefficients. The short-term sensitivities tend to be larger than the mixed term sensitivities and give larger corrections. The resulting corrected H(t) series show significant differences from the uncorrected H(t). In particular, the apparent seasonal cycle in the corrected H(t) is much smoother and smaller in amplitude. Also, in many locations the derived dH/dt from the corrected H(t) is quite different than from the uncorrected H(t).
- Publication:
-
CryoSat Validation Workshop
- Pub Date:
- February 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011ESASP.693E..13Y