Dp. Winebrenner et al., ON THE RESPONSE OF POLARIMETRIC SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR SIGNATURES AT 24-CM WAVELENGTH TO SEA-ICE THICKNESS IN ARCTIC LEADS, Radio science, 30(2), 1995, pp. 373-402
We investigate observationally and theoretically the response of polar
imetric backscattering at 24-cm wavelength to the thickness of Arctic
sea ice in leads and first-year ice features. We employ backscattering
data acquired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne synthetic ape
rture radar (SAR) during March 1988 in the Beaufort Sea, together with
nearly simultaneous passive microwave imagery acquired by the U.S. Na
vy K(a) band radiometric mapping system. We find that 24-cm copolar ra
tios and copolar phases vary strongly with apparent ice thickness. We
observe copolar phase shifts between -10-degrees and -50-degrees (rela
tive to multiyear ice phases) for new ice features in the imagery, as
well as positive copolar phases in a first-year ice feature. Copolar r
atios also vary with apparent thickness, from values larger than those
expected theoretically for seawater to values slightly lower than tho
se expected for thick ice. We derive a signature model based on scatte
ring from a rough air/sea ice interface with realistic vertical profil
es of brine volume and relative permittivity beneath. Model prediction
s for copolar ratios and phases show ice thickness-dependent variation
s consistent with those observed. We present simulation results showin
g that plausible ice thickness variations between pixels in a multiloo
k average diminish, but do not eliminate, the signature response to th
ickness. This suggests that direct thickness estimation of sea ice in
leads may be possible using polarimetric SAR at wavelengths of 24 cm o
r longer.