Data from two different years from ESA's CryoSat validation experiments CryoVex 2008 and 2007 are analyzed and possibilities for sea ice classification based on a Ku-band radar altimeter waveforms are presented. While the detection of leads is crucial to correctly retrieve the freeboard the knowledge of ice type improves the calculation of ice thickness as the ice density and snow depth vary with ice type.
The waveforms of the radar power echo vary with underlying surface. In our study we used various parameters to describe these waveforms and to classify different surface types. For the beginning we distinguish between first year ice, multi year ice and leads/open water.  Parameters which have been analyzed are the leading edge width, trailing edge width, trailing edge slope, the power max and the pulse peakiness.
We find that for lead detection the pulse peakiness and the power max are sufficient to detect more than 90% of the leads, while the rate of false detection is below 10% . As in particular the waveforms of first year ice are less distinct the detection rate of first year ice and multi year ice is lower. We find, however, that with a combination of the trailing edge width and power maximum more than 75 % of the waveforms can be classified correctly.

Author: Marta Zygmuntowska

ESA-CliC-EGU Conference on Earth Observation and Cryospheric Science, Frascati, Italy, November 13-16, 2012

2008-01 No. 10 Ice and Climate News

(Media / 2008-01 No. 10 Ice and Climate News)

- CliC Scientific Steering Group (comings and goings) - Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models - Global Prediction: Permafrost - Operational Sea-Ice Analysis and Forecasting at met.no - Arctic Council Climate and Cryosphere Project - Seasonal Forecast of Antarctic Sea Ice - The Global...

Joint Report of the Fourth Session of the ACSYS Sea Ice/Ocean Modelling (SIOM) Panel and the ACSYS Workshop on Sea Ice Thickness Measurements and Data Analysis 1997

(Media / Joint Report of the Fourth Session of the ACSYS Sea Ice/Ocean Modelling (SIOM) Panel and the ACSYS Workshop on Sea Ice Thickness Measurements and Data Analysis 1997)

Joint Report, Agenda and Participants list of the Fourth Session of the ACSYS Sea Ice/Ocean Modelling (SIOM) Panel and the ACSYS Workshop on Sea Ice Thickness Measurements and Data Analysis, held in Monterey, CA, USA, from 7-11 april 1997. Edited by P.Lemke and R.Colony. WMO/TD No. 991, May 2000.

BYurchak- An Exponential Model of Radar Altimeter Waveform

(Media / BYurchak- An Exponential Model of Radar Altimeter Waveform)

An assessment of waveform shape under specular reflection was carried out using the data obtained earlier in physical optics approach. The consideration was conducted for Gaussian antenna beam, rectangular probe pulse, and beam-and pulse modes. It was found that the return waveform shape differs...

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