Friday, 31 August 2007 - 11:40 AM
5.A.D-4
A forward scattering and propagation model for Antarctic ice sheet investigations
Björn Rommen1, Chung-Chi Lin2, Nick Walker3, Dominic Flach3, David Simonin3, Christian Ruiz4, and H. Corr5. (1) Electromagnetics Division, European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG, Noordwijk, Netherlands, (2) Earth Observation Projects, European Space Agency (ESTEC), Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, Netherlands, (3) International Remote Sensing, Vexcel UK - Microsoft, West Woodhay, Newbury, United Kingdom, (4) Noveltis, 2 Avenue de l'Europe, Ramonville, France, (5) Geological Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
A forward scattering and propagation model has been developed with the primary intent to investigate the feasibility of sounding the Antarctic ice sheet using a spaceborne radar system. The use of the model is also envisaged for support and interpretation of airborne ice sounding or ground penetrating radar data. The model computes the time-pulsed backscattered response from a very large 3D volume which includes a series of user-defined gridded layers representing the ice surface, bedrock, intermediate ice layers and other possible material that may be found within the ice, e.g. volcanic ash. Earth curvature, large-scale topography, undulations or sastrugi are taken into account in the elevation of each elementary grid cell. Presented simulation results are compared with actual data in order to demonstrate the overall validity and functionality of the model. The model architecture is such that it allows input description of both the ice sheet and instrument characteristics.