Title :
Elevation change measurement of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, 1978 to 1988, from satellite radar altimetry
Author :
Davis, Curtis H. ; Belu, Radian G. ; Feng, Gang
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO, USA
fDate :
3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Seasat and Geosat satellite radar altimeter measurements over the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) are analyzed to determine surface elevation change over the period from 1978 to 1988. The results show that the average elevation change over 1.7 ×106 km2 of the EAIS is -0.4±1.8 cm/yr and is therefore not significantly different than zero. This result is in very good agreement with ERS-1/2 radar altimeter estimates of EAIS elevation change from 1992 to 1996. The combined results suggest that the EAIS has been close to a state of balance for two decades. This further reduces the likelihood that recent changes in snow accumulation have masked a long-term mass imbalance in the EAIS
Keywords :
glaciology; AD 1978 to 1988; Antarctica; East Antarctic Ice Sheet; Geosat; Seasat; balance; elevation change; glaciology; height; polar ice sheet; radar remote sensing; satellite radar altimetry; stasis; surface elevation; thickness; Altimetry; Antarctica; Ice surface; Ocean temperature; Predictive models; Radar measurements; Satellites; Sea measurements; Sea surface; Spaceborne radar;
Journal_Title :
Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on