Articles | Volume 12, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1767-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1767-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 May 2018
Research article |
| 25 May 2018
| 25 May 2018
Seasonal variations of the backscattering coefficient measured by radar altimeters over the Antarctic Ice Sheet
Fifi Ibrahime Adodo
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Oceanographie Spatiale
(LEGOS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Toulouse, 31400, France
Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (IGE), Grenoble, 38402, Saint-Martin-d'Hères CEDEX, France
Frédérique Remy
Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Oceanographie Spatiale
(LEGOS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Toulouse, 31400, France
Ghislain Picard
Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (IGE), Grenoble, 38402, Saint-Martin-d'Hères CEDEX, France
Viewed
Total article views: 4,523 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 22 Nov 2017)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,913 | 1,457 | 153 | 4,523 | 184 | 251 |
- HTML: 2,913
- PDF: 1,457
- XML: 153
- Total: 4,523
- BibTeX: 184
- EndNote: 251
Total article views: 3,567 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 25 May 2018)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,386 | 1,039 | 142 | 3,567 | 181 | 237 |
- HTML: 2,386
- PDF: 1,039
- XML: 142
- Total: 3,567
- BibTeX: 181
- EndNote: 237
Total article views: 956 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 22 Nov 2017)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 527 | 418 | 11 | 956 | 3 | 14 |
- HTML: 527
- PDF: 418
- XML: 11
- Total: 956
- BibTeX: 3
- EndNote: 14
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 4,523 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 4,238 with geography defined
and 285 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 3,567 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 3,322 with geography defined
and 245 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 956 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 916 with geography defined
and 40 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Seasonal Dynamics of the Land-Surface Characteristics in Arid Regions Retrieved by Optical and Microwave Satellite Data Y. Tian et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16173143
- Anticipating CRISTAL: an exploration of multi-frequency satellite altimeter snow depth estimates over Arctic sea ice, 2018–2023 J. Landy et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-183-2026
- Antarctic ice surface properties inferred from Ka and Ku band altimeter waveforms P. Patel et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490419.2024.2402013
- Assessing spatiotemporal variability in melt–refreeze patterns in firn over Greenland with CryoSat-2 W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025
- Evaluation of SCATSAT-1 data for snow cover area mapping over a part of Western Himalayas V. Sood et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2020.08.017
- Mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet 1992–2016: reconciling results from GRACE gravimetry with ICESat, ERS1/2 and Envisat altimetry H. Zwally et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.8
- Observation of the process of snow accumulation on the Antarctic Plateau by time lapse laser scanning G. Picard et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1983-2019
- Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress S. Abdalla et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2021.01.022
- Ice Sheet Elevation Change in West Antarctica From Ka‐Band Satellite Radar Altimetry I. Otosaka et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084271
- Marked decrease in the near-surface snow density retrieved by AMSR-E satellite at Dome C, Antarctica, between 2002 and 2011 N. Champollion et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1215-2019
- Radar Glacier Facies Variation in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Using Sentinel-1 Multitemporal Imagery F. Idalino et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-025-02383-w
- Radar altimeter waveform simulations in Antarctica with the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer Model (SMRT) F. Larue et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2021.112534
- AWI-ICENet1: a convolutional neural network retracker for ice altimetry V. Helm et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3933-2024
- Evaluation of Sea Ice Radiative Forcing according to Surface Albedo and Skin Temperature over the Arctic from 1982–2015 N. Seong et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14112512
- The ESA Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration: Monitoring Performance of Radar Altimeters for Sentinel-3A, Sentinel-3B and Jason-3 Using Transponder and Sea-Surface Calibrations with FRM Standards S. Mertikas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12162642
- A leading-edge-based method for correction of slope-induced errors in ice-sheet heights derived from radar altimetry W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022
- How Different Analysis and Interpolation Methods Affect the Accuracy of Ice Surface Elevation Changes Inferred from Satellite Altimetry U. Strößenreuther et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11004-019-09851-3
- Advances in altimetric snow depth estimates using bi-frequency SARAL and CryoSat-2 Ka–Ku measurements F. Garnier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5483-2021
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Seasonal Dynamics of the Land-Surface Characteristics in Arid Regions Retrieved by Optical and Microwave Satellite Data Y. Tian et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16173143
- Anticipating CRISTAL: an exploration of multi-frequency satellite altimeter snow depth estimates over Arctic sea ice, 2018–2023 J. Landy et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-183-2026
- Antarctic ice surface properties inferred from Ka and Ku band altimeter waveforms P. Patel et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490419.2024.2402013
- Assessing spatiotemporal variability in melt–refreeze patterns in firn over Greenland with CryoSat-2 W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025
- Evaluation of SCATSAT-1 data for snow cover area mapping over a part of Western Himalayas V. Sood et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2020.08.017
- Mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet 1992–2016: reconciling results from GRACE gravimetry with ICESat, ERS1/2 and Envisat altimetry H. Zwally et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.8
- Observation of the process of snow accumulation on the Antarctic Plateau by time lapse laser scanning G. Picard et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1983-2019
- Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress S. Abdalla et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2021.01.022
- Ice Sheet Elevation Change in West Antarctica From Ka‐Band Satellite Radar Altimetry I. Otosaka et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084271
- Marked decrease in the near-surface snow density retrieved by AMSR-E satellite at Dome C, Antarctica, between 2002 and 2011 N. Champollion et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1215-2019
- Radar Glacier Facies Variation in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Using Sentinel-1 Multitemporal Imagery F. Idalino et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-025-02383-w
- Radar altimeter waveform simulations in Antarctica with the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer Model (SMRT) F. Larue et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2021.112534
- AWI-ICENet1: a convolutional neural network retracker for ice altimetry V. Helm et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3933-2024
- Evaluation of Sea Ice Radiative Forcing according to Surface Albedo and Skin Temperature over the Arctic from 1982–2015 N. Seong et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14112512
- The ESA Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration: Monitoring Performance of Radar Altimeters for Sentinel-3A, Sentinel-3B and Jason-3 Using Transponder and Sea-Surface Calibrations with FRM Standards S. Mertikas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12162642
- A leading-edge-based method for correction of slope-induced errors in ice-sheet heights derived from radar altimetry W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022
- How Different Analysis and Interpolation Methods Affect the Accuracy of Ice Surface Elevation Changes Inferred from Satellite Altimetry U. Strößenreuther et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11004-019-09851-3
- Advances in altimetric snow depth estimates using bi-frequency SARAL and CryoSat-2 Ka–Ku measurements F. Garnier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5483-2021
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 11 Jun 2026
Short summary
In Antarctica, the seasonal cycle of the backscatter behaves differently at high and low frequencies, peaking in winter and in summer, respectively. At the intermediate frequency, some areas behave analogously to low frequency in terms of the seasonal cycle, but other areas behave analogously to high frequency. This calls into question the empirical relationships often used to correct elevation changes from radar penetration into the snowpack using backscatter.
In Antarctica, the seasonal cycle of the backscatter behaves differently at high and low...
