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A method of calculating ice-shelf surface velocity using ICESat altimetry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2011

O.J. Marsh  and
W. Rack
O.J. Marsh
Affiliation:
Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand (oliver.marsh@pg.canterbury.ac.nz)
W. Rack
Affiliation:
Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand (oliver.marsh@pg.canterbury.ac.nz)
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Abstract

Very high precision satellite altimeter measurements from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System onboard NASA's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) have allowed a method of feature tracking to be developed for floating ice which relies on recording the movement of large surface undulations. This method is applied to a section of the Ross Ice Shelf downstream of the grounding line of the Beardmore Glacier, Antarctica. The altimetry method has benefits over established optical and interferometric remote sensing techniques due to high pointing accuracy for geo-location, ability to deal with tidal fluctuations and to measure velocity where visible surface features are absent. Initial processing of a single sequence of ICESat tracks gives encouraging results for unidirectional ice flow with correlations between surface profiles in consecutive years exceeding 90% and producing high internal consistency in velocity between independent tracks. Velocities of 331 ± 28 m a−1 near to the grounding line are also consistent with available ground measurements for the area.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 48 , Special Issue 1: Papers from the 11th Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium , January 2012 , pp. 25 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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