Thule to Summit: Accumulation variability, surface elevation, and satellite altimeter validation from ground-penetrating radar and GPS profiles
Abstract
The spatial variability of accumulation rates, elevation, and near-surface firn physical properties on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) are of interest in the context of mass balance studies, remote sensing studies, and climate studies. In the springs of 2010 and 2011, we traversed from Thule Air Base to Summit Station on the GIS. Along the traverse route, we collected continuous Ground-penetrating radar data with a 400 MHz commercial (GSSI) instrument, and continuous kinematic geodetic-quality GPS data. Here, we present these data and preliminary analysis. In the GPR data, continuous reflection horizons persist along the entire traverse path through the dry-snow zone. We calculate near-surface radar velocity from snowpit and shallow core density measurements collected along the traverse route. Our 400 MHz radar data yields accumulation rates along the traverse route to a depth of 60 meters. The continuous geodetic-quality GPS data provides the most accurate representation of surface elevation along our traverse route. We compare our GPS elevation data with surface elevations from remote-sensing platforms such as ESA's CryoSat-2 and the altimeters aboard the NASA Operation IceBridge aircraft.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFM.C33A0623O
- Keywords:
-
- 0726 CRYOSPHERE / Ice sheets;
- 0736 CRYOSPHERE / Snow;
- 0776 CRYOSPHERE / Glaciology;
- 0794 CRYOSPHERE / Instruments and techniques