Millimeter-precision range profiling and cross-sectional imaging of ice shelves in Polar regions using phase-sensitive FMCW radar

Ice shelves are the fringes of ice sheets, found in both Polar regions (Antarctica and Greenland). Thickness changing patterns of these ice shelves have direct consequence to sea level rising. This paper introduces an ice-penetrating phase-sensitive FMCW radar system that is capable of measuring the depth of ice shelves to mm precision within 2 km. The signal processing technique for achieving this high precision range is described along with trial results verifying the accuracy. The radar had also been operated in Larsen North ice shelf in Antarctica in 2011-12 Austral summer for cross-sectional imaging. The processed results of the data obtained from that expedition are illustrated in this paper. The data processing for cross-sectional imaging of Larsen North ice shelf has been done by using both phased array and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing methods.