Articles | Volume 16, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-103-2022
© Author(s) 2022. 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-16-103-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Jan 2022
Research article |
| 13 Jan 2022
| 13 Jan 2022
An empirical algorithm to map perennial firn aquifers and ice slabs within the Greenland Ice Sheet using satellite L-band microwave radiometry
Julie Z. Miller
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Earth Science and Observation Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Riley Culberg
Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
David G. Long
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
Christopher A. Shuman
Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology at Code 615, Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
Dustin M. Schroeder
Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
Department of Geophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
Mary J. Brodzik
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Related authors
Riley Culberg, Roger J. Michaelides, and Julie Z. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice slabs enhance meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Therefore, it is important to understand their extent and how it changes with time. We present a method for mapping ice slabs and other refrozen ice using satellite radar imagery and apply this method to the whole ice sheet in winter 2016–2017. Our new map has significantly better spatial coverage and resolution than previous maps from airborne radar and lays the groundwork for long-term monitoring of ice slabs from space.
Seyedmohammad Mousavi, Andreas Colliander, Julie Z. Miller, and John S. Kimball
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-297, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-297, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Julie Z. Miller, David G. Long, Kenneth C. Jezek, Joel T. Johnson, Mary J. Brodzik, Christopher A. Shuman, Lora S. Koenig, and Ted A. Scambos
The Cryosphere, 14, 2809–2817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, 2020
Nanna Bjørnholt Karlsson, Dustin M. Schroeder, Louise Sandberg Sørensen, Winnie Chu, Jørgen Dall, Natalia H. Andersen, Reese Dobson, Emma J. Mackie, Simon J. Köhn, Jillian E. Steinmetz, Angelo S. Tarzona, Thomas O. Teisberg, and Niels Skou
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-442, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-442, 2024
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
In the 1970s, more than 177,000 km of observations were acquired from airborne radar over the Greenland ice sheet. The radar data contain information on the thickness of the ice but also on the properties of the ice itself. This information was recorded on film rolls and subsequently stored. In this study, we document the digitisation of these film rolls that shed new and unprecedented detailed light on the Greenland ice sheet 50 years ago.
Riley Culberg, Roger J. Michaelides, and Julie Z. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice slabs enhance meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Therefore, it is important to understand their extent and how it changes with time. We present a method for mapping ice slabs and other refrozen ice using satellite radar imagery and apply this method to the whole ice sheet in winter 2016–2017. Our new map has significantly better spatial coverage and resolution than previous maps from airborne radar and lays the groundwork for long-term monitoring of ice slabs from space.
Alice C. Frémand, Peter Fretwell, Julien A. Bodart, Hamish D. Pritchard, Alan Aitken, Jonathan L. Bamber, Robin Bell, Cesidio Bianchi, Robert G. Bingham, Donald D. Blankenship, Gino Casassa, Ginny Catania, Knut Christianson, Howard Conway, Hugh F. J. Corr, Xiangbin Cui, Detlef Damaske, Volkmar Damm, Reinhard Drews, Graeme Eagles, Olaf Eisen, Hannes Eisermann, Fausto Ferraccioli, Elena Field, René Forsberg, Steven Franke, Shuji Fujita, Yonggyu Gim, Vikram Goel, Siva Prasad Gogineni, Jamin Greenbaum, Benjamin Hills, Richard C. A. Hindmarsh, Andrew O. Hoffman, Per Holmlund, Nicholas Holschuh, John W. Holt, Annika N. Horlings, Angelika Humbert, Robert W. Jacobel, Daniela Jansen, Adrian Jenkins, Wilfried Jokat, Tom Jordan, Edward King, Jack Kohler, William Krabill, Mette Kusk Gillespie, Kirsty Langley, Joohan Lee, German Leitchenkov, Carlton Leuschen, Bruce Luyendyk, Joseph MacGregor, Emma MacKie, Kenichi Matsuoka, Mathieu Morlighem, Jérémie Mouginot, Frank O. Nitsche, Yoshifumi Nogi, Ole A. Nost, John Paden, Frank Pattyn, Sergey V. Popov, Eric Rignot, David M. Rippin, Andrés Rivera, Jason Roberts, Neil Ross, Anotonia Ruppel, Dustin M. Schroeder, Martin J. Siegert, Andrew M. Smith, Daniel Steinhage, Michael Studinger, Bo Sun, Ignazio Tabacco, Kirsty Tinto, Stefano Urbini, David Vaughan, Brian C. Welch, Douglas S. Wilson, Duncan A. Young, and Achille Zirizzotti
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2695–2710, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2695-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2695-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents the release of over 60 years of ice thickness, bed elevation, and surface elevation data acquired over Antarctica by the international community. These data are a crucial component of the Antarctic Bedmap initiative which aims to produce a new map and datasets of Antarctic ice thickness and bed topography for the international glaciology and geophysical community.
Kristian Chan, Cyril Grima, Anja Rutishauser, Duncan A. Young, Riley Culberg, and Donald D. Blankenship
The Cryosphere, 17, 1839–1852, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1839-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1839-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Climate warming has led to more surface meltwater produced on glaciers that can refreeze in firn to form ice layers. Our work evaluates the use of dual-frequency ice-penetrating radar to characterize these ice layers on the Devon Ice Cap. Results indicate that they are meters thick and widespread, and thus capable of supporting lateral meltwater runoff from the top of ice layers. We find that some of this meltwater runoff could be routed through supraglacial rivers in the ablation zone.
Alexander O. Hager, Matthew J. Hoffman, Stephen F. Price, and Dustin M. Schroeder
The Cryosphere, 16, 3575–3599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3575-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3575-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The presence of water beneath glaciers is a control on glacier speed and ocean-caused melting, yet it has been unclear whether sizable volumes of water can exist beneath Antarctic glaciers or how this water may flow along the glacier bed. We use computer simulations, supported by observations, to show that enough water exists at the base of Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica, to form "rivers" beneath the glacier. These rivers likely moderate glacier speed and may influence its rate of retreat.
Marie G. P. Cavitte, Duncan A. Young, Robert Mulvaney, Catherine Ritz, Jamin S. Greenbaum, Gregory Ng, Scott D. Kempf, Enrica Quartini, Gail R. Muldoon, John Paden, Massimo Frezzotti, Jason L. Roberts, Carly R. Tozer, Dustin M. Schroeder, and Donald D. Blankenship
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 4759–4777, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4759-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4759-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a data set consisting of ice-penetrating-radar internal stratigraphy: 26 internal reflecting horizons that cover the greater Dome C area, East Antarctica, the most extensive IRH data set to date in the region. This data set uses radar surveys collected over the span of 10 years, starting with an airborne international collaboration in 2008 to explore the region, up to the detailed ground-based surveys in support of the European Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice (BE-OI) project.
Tun Jan Young, Carlos Martín, Poul Christoffersen, Dustin M. Schroeder, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, and Eliza J. Dawson
The Cryosphere, 15, 4117–4133, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4117-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4117-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
If the molecules that make up ice are oriented in specific ways, the ice becomes softer and enhances flow. We use radar to measure the orientation of ice molecules in the top 1400 m of the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide. Our results match those from an ice core extracted 10 years ago and conclude that the ice flow has not changed direction for the last 6700 years. Our methods are straightforward and accurate and can be applied in places across ice sheets unsuitable for ice coring.
Alison F. Banwell, Rajashree Tri Datta, Rebecca L. Dell, Mahsa Moussavi, Ludovic Brucker, Ghislain Picard, Christopher A. Shuman, and Laura A. Stevens
The Cryosphere, 15, 909–925, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-909-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-909-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Ice shelves are thick floating layers of glacier ice extending from the glaciers on land that buttress much of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and help to protect it from losing ice to the ocean. However, the stability of ice shelves is vulnerable to meltwater lakes that form on their surfaces during the summer. This study focuses on the northern George VI Ice Shelf on the western side of the AP, which had an exceptionally long and extensive melt season in 2019/2020 compared to the previous 31 seasons.
Seyedmohammad Mousavi, Andreas Colliander, Julie Z. Miller, and John S. Kimball
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-297, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-297, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Julie Z. Miller, David G. Long, Kenneth C. Jezek, Joel T. Johnson, Mary J. Brodzik, Christopher A. Shuman, Lora S. Koenig, and Ted A. Scambos
The Cryosphere, 14, 2809–2817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, 2020
Michael A. Cooper, Thomas M. Jordan, Dustin M. Schroeder, Martin J. Siegert, Christopher N. Williams, and Jonathan L. Bamber
The Cryosphere, 13, 3093–3115, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3093-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3093-2019, 2019
Thomas M. Jordan, Christopher N. Williams, Dustin M. Schroeder, Yasmina M. Martos, Michael A. Cooper, Martin J. Siegert, John D. Paden, Philippe Huybrechts, and Jonathan L. Bamber
The Cryosphere, 12, 2831–2854, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2831-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2831-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Here, via analysis of radio-echo sounding data, we place a new observational constraint upon the basal water distribution beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. In addition to the outlet glaciers, we demonstrate widespread water storage in the northern and eastern ice-sheet interior, a notable feature being a "corridor" of basal water extending from NorthGRIP to Petermann Glacier. The basal water distribution and its relationship with basal temperature provides a new constraint for numerical models.
Thomas M. Jordan, Michael A. Cooper, Dustin M. Schroeder, Christopher N. Williams, John D. Paden, Martin J. Siegert, and Jonathan L. Bamber
The Cryosphere, 11, 1247–1264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1247-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1247-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Using radio-echo sounding data from northern Greenland, we demonstrate that subglacial roughness exhibits self-affine (fractal) scaling behaviour. This enables us to assess topographic control upon the bed-echo waveform, and explain the spatial distribution of the degree of scattering (specular and diffuse reflections). Via comparison with a prediction for the basal thermal state (thawed and frozen regions of the bed) we discuss the consequences of our study for basal water discrimination.
S. E. Moustafa, A. K. Rennermalm, L. C. Smith, M. A. Miller, J. R. Mioduszewski, L. S. Koenig, M. G. Hom, and C. A. Shuman
The Cryosphere, 9, 905–923, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-905-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-905-2015, 2015
T. A. Scambos, E. Berthier, T. Haran, C. A. Shuman, A. J. Cook, S. R. M. Ligtenberg, and J. Bohlander
The Cryosphere, 8, 2135–2145, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2135-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2135-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This study of one of the most rapidly changing glacier regions on earth -- the Antarctic Peninsula -- uses two types of satellite data to measure the rates of ice loss in detail for the individual glaciers. The satellite data is laser altimetry from ICESat and stereo image DEM differences. The results show that 24..9 ± 7.8 billion tons of ice are lost from the region north of 66°S on the peninsula each year. The majority of the data cover 2003-2008.
K. Kawamura, J. P. Severinghaus, M. R. Albert, Z. R. Courville, M. A. Fahnestock, T. Scambos, E. Shields, and C. A. Shuman
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 11141–11155, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11141-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11141-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Discipline: Ice sheets | Subject: Remote Sensing
Sentinel-1 Detection of Ice Slabs on the Greenland Ice Sheet
Mapping the extent of giant Antarctic icebergs with deep learning
Mapping Antarctic crevasses and their evolution with deep learning applied to satellite radar imagery
AutoTerm: an automated pipeline for glacier terminus extraction using machine learning and a “big data” repository of Greenland glacier termini
Recent changes in drainage route and outburst magnitude of the Russell Glacier ice-dammed lake, West Greenland
Grounding line retreat and tide-modulated ocean channels at Moscow University and Totten Glacier ice shelves, East Antarctica
Seasonal land-ice-flow variability in the Antarctic Peninsula
Empirical correction of systematic orthorectification error in Sentinel-2 velocity fields for Greenlandic outlet glaciers
A leading-edge-based method for correction of slope-induced errors in ice-sheet heights derived from radar altimetry
Supraglacial lake bathymetry automatically derived from ICESat-2 constraining lake depth estimates from multi-source satellite imagery
Penetration of interferometric radar signals in Antarctic snow
Brief communication: Ice sheet elevation measurements from the Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B tandem phase
Using ICESat-2 and Operation IceBridge altimetry for supraglacial lake depth retrievals
Brief communication: Mapping Greenland's perennial firn aquifers using enhanced-resolution L-band brightness temperature image time series
Quantifying spatiotemporal variability of glacier algal blooms and the impact on surface albedo in southwestern Greenland
Aerogeophysical characterization of an active subglacial lake system in the David Glacier catchment, Antarctica
Measuring the location and width of the Antarctic grounding zone using CryoSat-2
Brief Communication: Update on the GPS reflection technique for measuring snow accumulation in Greenland
Improved GNSS-R bi-static altimetry and independent digital elevation models of Greenland and Antarctica from TechDemoSat-1
Melt in Antarctica derived from Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) observations at L band
Sentinel-3 Delay-Doppler altimetry over Antarctica
The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica
Assessment of altimetry using ground-based GPS data from the 88S Traverse, Antarctica, in support of ICESat-2
Dual-satellite (Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8) remote sensing of supraglacial lakes in Greenland
Coherent large beamwidth processing of radio-echo sounding data
Multi-channel and multi-polarization radar measurements around the NEEM site
Seasonal variations of the backscattering coefficient measured by radar altimeters over the Antarctic Ice Sheet
Recent dynamic changes on Fleming Glacier after the disintegration of Wordie Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula
Riley Culberg, Roger J. Michaelides, and Julie Z. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2652, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice slabs enhance meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Therefore, it is important to understand their extent and how it changes with time. We present a method for mapping ice slabs and other refrozen ice using satellite radar imagery and apply this method to the whole ice sheet in winter 2016–2017. Our new map has significantly better spatial coverage and resolution than previous maps from airborne radar and lays the groundwork for long-term monitoring of ice slabs from space.
Anne Braakmann-Folgmann, Andrew Shepherd, David Hogg, and Ella Redmond
The Cryosphere, 17, 4675–4690, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4675-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4675-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we propose a deep neural network to map the extent of giant Antarctic icebergs in Sentinel-1 images automatically. While each manual delineation requires several minutes, our U-net takes less than 0.01 s. In terms of accuracy, we find that U-net outperforms two standard segmentation techniques (Otsu, k-means) in most metrics and is more robust to challenging scenes with sea ice, coast and other icebergs. The absolute median deviation in iceberg area across 191 images is 4.1 %.
Trystan Surawy-Stepney, Anna E. Hogg, Stephen L. Cornford, and David C. Hogg
The Cryosphere, 17, 4421–4445, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4421-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4421-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The presence of crevasses in Antarctica influences how the ice sheet behaves. It is important, therefore, to collect data on the spatial distribution of crevasses and how they are changing. We present a method of mapping crevasses from satellite radar imagery and apply it to 7.5 years of images, covering Antarctica's floating and grounded ice. We develop a method of measuring change in the density of crevasses and quantify increased fracturing in important parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Enze Zhang, Ginny Catania, and Daniel T. Trugman
The Cryosphere, 17, 3485–3503, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3485-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3485-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier termini are essential for studying why glaciers retreat, but they need to be mapped automatically due to the volume of satellite images. Existing automated mapping methods have been limited due to limited automation, lack of quality control, and inadequacy in highly diverse terminus environments. We design a fully automated, deep-learning-based method to produce termini with quality control. We produced 278 239 termini in Greenland and provided a way to deliver new termini regularly.
Mads Dømgaard, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Flora Huiban, Jonathan L. Carrivick, Shfaqat A. Khan, and Anders A. Bjørk
The Cryosphere, 17, 1373–1387, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1373-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1373-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Sudden releases of meltwater from glacier-dammed lakes can influence ice flow, cause flooding hazards and landscape changes. This study presents a record of 14 drainages from 2007–2021 from a lake in west Greenland. The time series reveals how the lake fluctuates between releasing large and small amounts of drainage water which is caused by a weakening of the damming glacier following the large events. We also find a shift in the water drainage route which increases the risk of flooding hazards.
Tian Li, Geoffrey J. Dawson, Stephen J. Chuter, and Jonathan L. Bamber
The Cryosphere, 17, 1003–1022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1003-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1003-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Totten and Moscow University glaciers in East Antarctica have the potential to make a significant contribution to future sea-level rise. We used a combination of different satellite measurements to show that the grounding lines have been retreating along the fast-flowing ice streams across these two glaciers. We also found two tide-modulated ocean channels that might open new pathways for the warm ocean water to enter the ice shelf cavity.
Karla Boxall, Frazer D. W. Christie, Ian C. Willis, Jan Wuite, and Thomas Nagler
The Cryosphere, 16, 3907–3932, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3907-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3907-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using high-spatial- and high-temporal-resolution satellite imagery, we provide the first evidence for seasonal flow variability of land ice draining to George VI Ice Shelf (GVIIS), Antarctica. Ultimately, our findings imply that other glaciers in Antarctica may be susceptible to – and/or currently undergoing – similar ice-flow seasonality, including at the highly vulnerable and rapidly retreating Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers.
Thomas R. Chudley, Ian M. Howat, Bidhyananda Yadav, and Myoung-Jong Noh
The Cryosphere, 16, 2629–2642, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2629-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2629-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Sentinel-2 images are subject to distortion due to orthorectification error, which makes it difficult to extract reliable glacier velocity fields from images from different orbits. Here, we use a complete record of velocity fields at four Greenlandic outlet glaciers to empirically estimate the systematic error, allowing us to correct cross-track glacier velocity fields to a comparable accuracy to other medium-resolution satellite datasets.
Weiran Li, Cornelis Slobbe, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 16, 2225–2243, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study proposes a new method for correcting the slope-induced errors in satellite radar altimetry. The slope-induced errors can significantly affect the height estimations of ice sheets if left uncorrected. This study applies the method to radar altimetry data (CryoSat-2) and compares the performance with two existing methods. The performance is assessed by comparison with independent height measurements from ICESat-2. The assessment shows that the method performs promisingly.
Rajashree Tri Datta and Bert Wouters
The Cryosphere, 15, 5115–5132, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5115-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5115-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The ICESat-2 laser altimeter can detect the surface and bottom of a supraglacial lake. We introduce the Watta algorithm, automatically calculating lake surface, corrected bottom, and (sub-)surface ice at high resolution adapting to signal strength. ICESat-2 depths constrain full lake depths of 46 lakes over Jakobshavn glacier using multiple sources of imagery, including very high-resolution Planet imagery, used for the first time to extract supraglacial lake depths empirically using ICESat-2.
Helmut Rott, Stefan Scheiblauer, Jan Wuite, Lukas Krieger, Dana Floricioiu, Paola Rizzoli, Ludivine Libert, and Thomas Nagler
The Cryosphere, 15, 4399–4419, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4399-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4399-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We studied relations between interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) signals and snow–firn properties and tested procedures for correcting the penetration bias of InSAR digital elevation models at Union Glacier, Antarctica. The work is based on SAR data of the TanDEM-X mission, topographic data from optical sensors and field measurements. We provide new insights on radar signal interactions with polar snow and show the performance of penetration bias retrievals using InSAR coherence.
Malcolm McMillan, Alan Muir, and Craig Donlon
The Cryosphere, 15, 3129–3134, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3129-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3129-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluate the consistency of ice sheet elevation measurements made by two satellites: Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B. We analysed data from the unique
tandemphase of the mission, where the two satellites flew 30 s apart to provide near-instantaneous measurements of Earth's surface. Analysing these data over Antarctica, we find no significant difference between the satellites, which is important for demonstrating that they can be used interchangeably for long-term ice sheet monitoring.
Zachary Fair, Mark Flanner, Kelly M. Brunt, Helen Amanda Fricker, and Alex Gardner
The Cryosphere, 14, 4253–4263, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4253-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4253-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Ice on glaciers and ice sheets may melt and pond on ice surfaces in summer months. Detection and observation of these meltwater ponds is important for understanding glaciers and ice sheets, and satellite imagery has been used in previous work. However, image-based methods struggle with deep water, so we used data from the Ice, Clouds, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) and the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) to demonstrate the potential for lidar depth monitoring.
Julie Z. Miller, David G. Long, Kenneth C. Jezek, Joel T. Johnson, Mary J. Brodzik, Christopher A. Shuman, Lora S. Koenig, and Ted A. Scambos
The Cryosphere, 14, 2809–2817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, 2020
Shujie Wang, Marco Tedesco, Patrick Alexander, Min Xu, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 14, 2687–2713, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2687-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2687-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glacial algal blooms play a significant role in darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet during summertime. The dark pigments generated by glacial algae could substantially reduce the bare ice albedo and thereby enhance surface melt. We used satellite data to map the spatial distribution of glacial algae and characterized the seasonal growth pattern and interannual trends of glacial algae in southwestern Greenland. Our study is important for bridging microbial activities with ice sheet mass balance.
Laura E. Lindzey, Lucas H. Beem, Duncan A. Young, Enrica Quartini, Donald D. Blankenship, Choon-Ki Lee, Won Sang Lee, Jong Ik Lee, and Joohan Lee
The Cryosphere, 14, 2217–2233, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2217-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2217-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
An extensive aerogeophysical survey including two active subglacial lakes was conducted over David Glacier, Antarctica. Laser altimetry shows that the lakes were at a highstand, while ice-penetrating radar has no unique signature for the lakes when compared to the broader basal environment. This suggests that active subglacial lakes are more likely to be part of a distributed subglacial hydrological system than to be discrete reservoirs, which has implications for future surveys and drilling.
Geoffrey J. Dawson and Jonathan L. Bamber
The Cryosphere, 14, 2071–2086, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2071-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2071-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The grounding zone is where grounded ice begins to float and is the boundary at which the ocean has the most significant influence on the inland ice sheet. Here, we present the results of mapping the grounding zone of Antarctic ice shelves from CryoSat-2 radar altimetry. We found good agreement with previous methods that mapped the grounding zone. We also managed to map areas of Support Force Glacier and the Doake Ice Rumples (Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf), which were previously incompletely mapped.
Kristine M. Larson, Michael MacFerrin, and Thomas Nylen
The Cryosphere, 14, 1985–1988, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1985-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1985-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Reflected GPS signals can be used to measure snow accumulation. The GPS method is accurate and has a footprint that is larger than that of many other methods. This short note makes available 9 years of daily snow accumulation measurements from Greenland that were derived from reflected GPS signals. It also provides information about open-source software that the cryosphere community can use to analyze other datasets.
Jessica Cartwright, Christopher J. Banks, and Meric Srokosz
The Cryosphere, 14, 1909–1917, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1909-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1909-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses reflected GPS signals to measure ice at the South Pole itself for the first time. These measurements are essential to understand the interaction of the ice with the Earth’s physical systems. Orbital constraints mean that satellites are usually unable to measure in the vicinity of the South Pole itself. This is overcome here by using data obtained by UK TechDemoSat-1. Data are processed to obtain the height of glacial ice across the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.
Marion Leduc-Leballeur, Ghislain Picard, Giovanni Macelloni, Arnaud Mialon, and Yann H. Kerr
The Cryosphere, 14, 539–548, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-539-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-539-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
To study the coast and ice shelves affected by melt in Antarctica during the austral summer, we exploited the 1.4 GHz radiometric satellite observations. We showed that this frequency provides additional information on melt occurrence and on the location of the water in the snowpack compared to the 19 GHz observations. This opens an avenue for improving the melting season monitoring with a combination of both frequencies and exploring the possibility of deep-water detection in the snowpack.
Malcolm McMillan, Alan Muir, Andrew Shepherd, Roger Escolà, Mònica Roca, Jérémie Aublanc, Pierre Thibaut, Marco Restano, Américo Ambrozio, and Jérôme Benveniste
The Cryosphere, 13, 709–722, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-709-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-709-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets is one of the main causes of current sea level rise. Understanding ice sheet change requires large-scale systematic satellite monitoring programmes. This study provides the first assessment of a new long-term source of measurements, from Sentinel-3 satellite altimetry. We estimate the accuracy of Sentinel-3 across Antarctica, show that the satellite can detect regions that are rapidly losing ice, and identify signs of subglacial lake activity.
Ian M. Howat, Claire Porter, Benjamin E. Smith, Myoung-Jong Noh, and Paul Morin
The Cryosphere, 13, 665–674, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-665-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-665-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA) is the first continental-scale terrain map at less than 10 m resolution, and the first with a time stamp, enabling measurements of elevation change. REMA is constructed from over 300 000 individual stereoscopic elevation models (DEMs) extracted from submeter-resolution satellite imagery. REMA is vertically registered to satellite altimetry, resulting in errors of less than 1 m over most of its area and relative uncertainties of decimeters.
Kelly M. Brunt, Thomas A. Neumann, and Christopher F. Larsen
The Cryosphere, 13, 579–590, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-579-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-579-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides an assessment of new GPS elevation data collected near the South Pole, Antarctica, that will ultimately be used for ICESat-2 satellite elevation data validation. Further, using the new ground-based GPS data, this paper provides an assessment of airborne lidar elevation data collected between 2014 and 2017, which will also be used for ICESat-2 data validation.
Andrew G. Williamson, Alison F. Banwell, Ian C. Willis, and Neil S. Arnold
The Cryosphere, 12, 3045–3065, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3045-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3045-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
A new approach is presented for automatically monitoring changes to area and volume of surface lakes on the Greenland Ice Sheet using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite data. The dual-satellite record improves on previous work since it tracks changes to more lakes (including small ones), identifies more lake-drainage events, and has higher precision. The results also show that small lakes are important in ice-sheet hydrology as they route more surface run-off into the ice sheet than large lakes.
Anton Heister and Rolf Scheiber
The Cryosphere, 12, 2969–2979, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2969-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2969-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We provide a method based on Fourier analysis of coherent radio-echo sounding data for analyzing angular back-scattering characteristics of the ice sheet and bed. The characteristics can be used for the bed roughness estimation and detection of subglacial water. The method also offers improved estimation of the internal layers' tilt. The research is motivated by a need for a tool for training dictionaries for model-based tomographic focusing of multichannel coherent radio-echo sounders.
Jilu Li, Jose A. Vélez González, Carl Leuschen, Ayyangar Harish, Prasad Gogineni, Maurine Montagnat, Ilka Weikusat, Fernando Rodriguez-Morales, and John Paden
The Cryosphere, 12, 2689–2705, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2689-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2689-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Ice properties inferred from multi-polarization measurements can provide insight into ice strain, viscosity, and ice flow. The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets used a ground-based radar for multi-channel and multi-polarization measurements at the NEEM site. This paper describes the radar system, antenna configurations, data collection, and processing and analysis of this data set. Comparisons between the radar observations, simulations, and ice core fabric data are in very good agreement.
Fifi Ibrahime Adodo, Frédérique Remy, and Ghislain Picard
The Cryosphere, 12, 1767–1778, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1767-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1767-2018, 2018
Short summary
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.
Peter Friedl, Thorsten C. Seehaus, Anja Wendt, Matthias H. Braun, and Kathrin Höppner
The Cryosphere, 12, 1347–1365, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1347-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1347-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Fleming Glacier is the biggest tributary glacier of the former Wordie Ice Shelf. Radar satellite data and airborne ice elevation measurements show that the glacier accelerated by ~27 % between 2008–2011 and that ice thinning increased by ~70 %. This was likely a response to a two-phase ungrounding of the glacier tongue between 2008 and 2011, which was mainly triggered by increased basal melt during two strong upwelling events of warm circumpolar deep water.
Cited articles
Abdalati, W. and Steffen, K.: Snowmelt on the Greenland Ice Sheet as derived from passive microwave satellite data, J. Climate, 10, 165–175, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1997)010<0165:SOTGIS>2.0.CO;2, 1997.
Alley, R. B., Dupont, T. K., Parizek, B. R., and Anandakrishnan, S.: Access of surface meltwater to beds of sub-freezing glaciers: Preliminary insights, Ann. Glaciol., 40, 8–14, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756405781813483, 2005.
Ashcraft, I. and Long, D.: Comparison of methods for melt detection over Greenland using active and passive microwave measurements, Int. J. Remote Sens., 27, 2469–2488, https://doi.org/10.1080/01431160500534465, 2006.
Benson, C. S.: Stratigraphic studies in the snow and firn of the Greenland Ice Sheet, PhD thesis, California Institute of Technology, 228 pp., 1960.
Brangers, I., Lievens, H., Miège, C., Demuzere, M., Brucker, L., and De Lannoy, G. J. M.: Sentinel-1 detects firn aquifers in the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2019GL085192, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085192, 2020.
Brodzik, M. J., Billingsley, B., Haran, T., Raup, B., and Savoie, M. H.: EASE-Grid 2.0: Incremental but significant improvements for Earth-gridded data sets, ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf., 1, 32–45, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi1010032, 2012.
Brodzik, M. J., Long, D. G., and Hardman, M. A.: SMAP Radiometer Twice-Daily rSIR-Enhanced EASE-Grid 2.0 Brightness Temperatures, Version 1, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/QZ3WJNOUZLFK, 2019.
Chu, W., Schroeder, D. M., and Siegfried, M. R.: Retrieval of englacial firn aquifer thickness from ice-penetrating radar sounding in southeastern Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 11770–11778, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079751, 2018.
Chudley, T. R., Christoffersen, P., Doyle, S. H., Bougamont, M., Schoonman, C. M., Hubbard, B., and James, M. R.: Supraglacial lake drainage at a fast-flowing Greenlandic outlet glacier, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 51, 25468–25477, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1913685116, 2019.
Colgan, W., Rajaram, H., Abdalati, W., McCutchan, C., Mottram, R., Moussavi, M. S., and Grigsby, S.: Observations, models, and mass balance implications: Glacier crevasses, Rev. Geophys., 54, 119–161, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015RG000504, 2016.
CReSIS: CReSIS radar depth sounder data, Digital Media, http://data.cresis.ku.edu/ (last access: 1 April 2021), 2016.
Culberg, R.: Refrozen melt layer location, density, and connectivity records from airborne radar sounding, Greenland, NSF Arctic Data Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.18739/A2736M33W, 2021.
Culberg, R., Schroeder, D. M., and Chu, W.: Extreme melt season ice layers reduce firn permeability across Greenland, Nat. Commun., 12, 2336, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22656-5, 2021.
Cullather, R. I., Andrews, L. C., Croteau, M. J., Digirolamo, N. E., Hall, D. K., Lim, Y., Loomis, B. D., Shuman, C. A., and Nowicki, S. M. J.: Anomalous circulation in July 2019 resulting in mass loss on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2020GL087263, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087263, 2020.
Das, S. B., Joughin, I., Behn, M. D., Howat, I. M., King,
M. A., Lizarralde, D., and Bhatia, M. P.: Fracture propagation to the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet during supraglacial lake drainage, Science, 320, 778–781, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153360, 2008.
Dunmire, D., Banwell, A. F., Wever, N., Lenaerts,
J. T. M., and Datta, R. T.: Contrasting regional variability of
buried meltwater extent over 2 years across the Greenland Ice Sheet,
The Cryosphere, 15, 2983–3005, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021, 2021.
Early, D. S. and Long, D. G.: Image reconstruction and enhanced-resolution imaging from irregular samples, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 39, 291–302, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.905237, 2001.
Echelmeyer, K., Clarke, T. S., and Harrison, W. D.: Surficial glaciology of Jakobshavn Isbræ, West Greenland, 1. Surface morphology, J. Glaciol., 37, 368–382, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022143000005803, 1991.
Entekhabi, D., Johnson, J., Kimball, J., Piepmeier, J. R., Koster, R. D., Martin, N., McDonald, K. C., Moghaddam, M., Moran, S., Reichle, R., Shi, J. C., Njoku, E. G., Spencer, M. W., Thurman, S. W., Tsang, L., Van Zyl, J., O'Neill, P. E., Kellogg, K. H., Crow, W. T., Edelstein, W. N., Entin, J. K., Goodman, S. D., and Jackson, T. J.: The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission, Proc. IEEE, 98, 704–716, https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2010.2043918, 2010.
Forster, R. R., Box, J. E., Van Den Broeke, M. R., Miège, C., Burgess, E. W., Van Angelen, J. H., Lenaerts, J. T. M., Koenig, L. S., Paden, J., Lewis, C., Gogineni, S. P., Leuschen, C., and McConnell, J. R.: Extensive liquid meltwater storage in firn within the Greenland Ice Sheet, Nat. Geosci., 7, 95–98, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2043, 2014.
Fountain, A. G. and Walder, J. S.: Water flow through temperate glaciers, Rev. Geophys., 36, 299–328, https://doi.org/10.1029/97RG03579, 1998.
Freilich, M. H., Long, D. G., and Spencer, M. W.: SeaWinds: A scanning scatterometer for ADEOS-II science overview, Proc. IEEE, 1994, 960–963, https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS.1994.399313, 1994.
Franco, B., Fettweis, X., and Erpicum, M.: Future projections of the Greenland ice sheet energy balance driving the surface melt, The Cryosphere, 7, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1-2013, 2013.
Hall, D. K. and DiGirolamo, N.: Multilayer Greenland Ice Surface Temperature, Surface Albedo, and Water Vapor from MODIS, Version 1, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/7THUWT9NMPDK, 2019.
Hall, D. K., Comiso, J. C., Digirolamo, N. E., Shuman, C. A., Key, J. R., and Koenig, L. S.: A satellite-derived climate-quality data record of the clear-sky surface temperature of the Greenland Ice Sheet, J. Climate, 25, 4785–4798, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00365.1, 2012.
Haran, T., Bohlander J., Scambos T., Painter, T., and Fahnestock, M.: MEaSUREs MODIS Boulder, Colorado, USA, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center, https://doi.org/10.5067/9ZO79PHOTYE5, 2018.
Harper, J., Humphrey, N., Pfeffer, W. T., Brown, J., and Fettweis, X.: Greenland ice-sheet contribution to sea-level rise buffered by meltwater storage in firn, Nature, 491, 240–243, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11566, 2012.
Hicks, B. R. and Long, D. G.: Inferring Greenland melt and refreeze severity from SeaWinds scatterometer data, Int. J. Remote Sens., 32, 8053–8080, https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2010.532174, 2011.
Howat, I.: MEaSUREs Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) Land Ice and Ocean Classification Mask, Version 1, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/B8X58MQBFUPA, 2017.
Howat, I. M., Negrete, A., and Smith, B. E.: The Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) land classification and surface elevation data sets, The Cryosphere, 8, 1509–1518, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1509-2014, 2014.
Howat, I., Negrete, A., and Smith, B.: MEaSUREs Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) Digital Elevation Model, Version 1, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center, https://doi.org/10.5067/NV34YUIXLP9W, 2015.
Humphrey, N. F., Harper, J. T., and Pfeffer, W. T.: Thermal tracking of meltwater retention in Greenland's accumulation area, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf., 117, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002083, 2012.
Jezek, K. C., Gogineni, P., and Shanableh, M.: Radar measurements of melt zones on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21, 33–36, https://doi.org/10.1029/93GL03377, 1994.
Jezek, K. C., Johnson, J. T., Drinkwater, M. R., Macelloni, G., Tsang, L., Aksoy, M., and Durand M.: Radiometric approach for estimating relative changes in intraglacier average temperature, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 53, 134–143, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2014.2319265, 2015.
Jezek, K. C., Johnson, J. T., Tan, S., Tsang, L., Andrews, M. J., Brogioni, M., Macelloni, G., Durand, M., Chen, C. C., Belgiovane, D. J., Duan, Y., Yardim, C., Li, H., Bringer, A., Leuski, V., and Aksoy, M.: 500–2000 MHz brightness temperature spectra of the northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 56, 1485–1496, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2017.2764381, 2018.
Joughin, I., Das, S. B., King, M. A., Smith, B. E., Howat, I. M., and Moon, T.: Seasonal speedup along the western flank of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 320, 781–783, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153288, 2008.
Joughin, I., Das, S. B., Flowers, G. E., Behn, M. D., Alley, R. B., King, M. A., Smith, B. E., Bamber, J. L., van den Broeke, M. R., and van Angelen, J. H.: Influence of ice-sheet geometry and supraglacial lakes on seasonal ice-flow variability, The Cryosphere, 7, 1185–1192, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1185-2013, 2013.
Kerr, Y. H., Waldteufel, P., Wigneron, J., Martinuzzi, J., Font, J., and Berger, M.: Soil moisture retrieval from space: The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 39, 1729–1735, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.942551, 2001.
Koenig, L. S., Miège, C., Forster, R. R., and Brucker, L.: Initial in situ measurements of perennial meltwater storage in the Greenland firn aquifer, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 81–85, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058083, 2014.
Koenig, L. S., Lampkin, D. J., Montgomery, L. N., Hamilton, S. L., Turrin, J. B., Joseph, C. A., Moutsafa, S. E., Panzer, B., Casey, K. A., Paden, J. D., Leuschen, C., and Gogineni, P.: Wintertime storage of water in buried supraglacial lakes across the Greenland Ice Sheet, The Cryosphere, 9, 1333–1342, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1333-2015, 2015.
Kuipers Munneke, P. K., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Van Den Broeke, M. R., Van Angelen, J. H., and Forster, R. R.: Explaining the presence of perennial liquid water bodies in the firn of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 476–483, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058389, 2014.
Le Vine, D. M., Lagerloef, G. S. E., Colomb, F. R., Yueh, S. H., and Pellerano, F. A.: Aquarius: An instrument to monitor sea surface salinity from space, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 45, 2040–2050, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2007.898092, 2007.
Lewis, C., Gogineni, S., Rodriguez-Morales, F., Panzer, B., Stumpf, T., Paden, J., and Leuschen, C.: Airborne fine-resolution UHF radar: An approach to the study of englacial reflections, firn compaction and ice attenuation rates, J. Glaciol., 61, 89–100, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J089, 2015.
Long, D. G. and Brodzik, M. J.: Optimum image formation for spaceborne microwave radiometer products, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 54, 2763–2779, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2015.2505677, 2016.
Long, D. G. and Daum, D. L.: Spatial resolution enhancement of SSM/I data, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 36, 407–417, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.662726, 1998.
Long, D. G., Hardin, P. J., and Whiting, P. T.: Resolution enhancement of spaceborne scatterometer data, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 31, 700–715, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.225536, 1993.
Long, D. G., Brodzik, M. J., and Hardman M. A.: Enhanced-resolution SMAP brightness temperature image products, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 57, 4151–4163, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2018.2889427, 2019.
MacFerrin, M.: Greenland Ice Slabs Data, figshare [data set], https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8309777.v1, 2019.
MacFerrin, M., Machguth, H., van As, D., Charalampidis, C., Stevens, C. M., Heilig, A., Vandecrux, B., Langen, P. L., Mottram, R., Fettweis, X., van den Broeke, M. R., Pfeffer, W. T., Moussavi, M. S., and Abdalati, W.: Rapid expansion of Greenland's low-permeability ice slabs, Nature, 573, 403–407, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1550-3, 2019.
Machguth, H. MacFerrin, M., van As, D., Box, J. E., Charalampidis, C., Colgan., W., Fausto, R. S., Harro, A. J., Mosley-Thompson, E., and van de Wal, R. S. W.: Greenland meltwater storage in firn limited by near-surface ice formation, Nat. Clim. Change, 6, 390–393, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2899, 2016.
Mätzler, C. and Hüppi, R.: Review of signature studies for microwave remote sensing of snowpacks, Adv. Space Res., 9, 253–265, https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(89)90493-6, 1989.
Miège, C.: Spatial extent of Greenland firn aquifer detected by airborne radars, 2010–2014, Arctic Data Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.18739/A2985M, 2018.
Miège, C., Forster, R. R., Brucker, L., Koenig, L. S., Solomon, D. K., Paden, J. D., Box, J. E., Burgess, E. W., Miller, J. Z., McNerney, L., Brautigam, N., Fausto, R. S., and Gogineni, S.: Spatial extent and temporal variability of Greenland firn aquifers detected by ground and airborne radars, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 121, 2381–2398, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JF003869, 2016.
Miles, K. E., Willis, I. C., Benedek, C. L., Williamson, A. G., and Tedesco, M.: Toward monitoring surface and subsurface lakes on the Greenland Ice Sheet Using Sentinel-1 SAR and Landsat-8 OLI imagery, Front. Earth Sci., 5, 58, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00058, 2017.
Miller, J. Z.: Mapping Greenland's firn aquifers from space using active and passive satellite microwave remote sensing, PhD thesis, Department of Geography, University of Utah, 135 pp., 2019.
Miller, J. Z.: SMAP-derived Perennial Firn Aquifer and Ice Slab Extents 2015–2019 Version 0, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5745983, 2021.
Miller, J. Z., Long, D. G., Jezek, K. C., Johnson, J. T., Brodzik, M. J., Shuman, C. A., Koenig, L. S., and Scambos, T. A.: Brief communication: Mapping Greenland's perennial firn aquifers using enhanced-resolution L-band brightness temperature image time series, The Cryosphere, 14, 2809–2817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, 2020.
Miller, O. L., Solomon, D. K., Miège, C., Koenig, L. S., Forster, R. R., Montgomery, L. N., Schmerr, N., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Legchenko, A., and Brucker, L.: Hydraulic conductivity of a firn aquifer in southeast Greenland, Front. Earth Sci., 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00038, 2017.
Montgomery, L. N., Schmerr, N., Burdick, S., Forster, R. R., Koenig, L., Legchenko, A., Ligtenberg, S., Miège, C., Miller, O. L., and Solomon, D. K.: Investigation of firn aquifer structure in southeastern Greenland using active source seismology, Front. Earth Sci., 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00010, 2017.
Moon, T., Joughin, I., Smith, B., Broeke, M. R., Berg, W. J., Noël, B., and Usher, M.: Distinct patterns of seasonal Greenland glacier velocity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 7209–7216, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL061836, 2014.
Mote, T. L. and Andersen, M. R.: Variations in snowpack melt on the Greenland Ice Sheet based on passive microwave measurements, J. Glaciol., 41, 51–60, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022143000017755, 1995.
Müller, F.: Zonation in the Accumulation Area of the Glaciers of Axel Heiberg Island, N. W. T., Canada, J. Glaciol., 4, 302–311, 1962.
Nghiem, S. V., Steffen, K., Neumann, G. A., and Huff, R: Mapping of ice layer extent and snow accumulation in the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet, J. Geophys. Res., 110, F02017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JF000234, 2005.
Nghiem, S. V., Hall, D. K., Mote, T. L., Tedesco, M., Albert, M. R., Keegan, K., Shuman, C. A., DiGirolamo, N. E., and Neumann, G.: The extreme melt across the Greenland Ice Sheet in 2012, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L20502, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL053611, 2012.
Noël, B., van de Berg, W. J., Lhermitte, S. L. M., and van den Broeke, M. R.: Rapid ablation zone expansion amplifies north Greenland mass loss, Sci. Adv., 5, eaaw0123, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw0123, 2019.
Noël, B., van Kampenhout, L., Lenaerts, J. T. M., van de Berg, W. J., and van den Broeke, M. R.: A 21st century warming threshold for sustained Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss, Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090471, 2021.
Paden, J., Li, J., Leuschen, C., Rodriguez-Morales, F., and Hale, R.: IceBridge Accumulation Radar L1B Geolocated Radar Echo Strength Profiles, Version 2, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/0ZY1XYHNIQNY, 2014 (updated 2018).
Pfeffer, W. T., Meier, M. F., and Illangasekare, T. H.: Retention of Greenland runoff by refreezing: Implications for projected future sea level change, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 96, 22117–22124, https://doi.org/10.1029/91JC02502, 1991.
Pfeffer, W. T. and Humphrey, N. F.: Determination of timing and location of water movement and ice-layer formation by temperature measurements in sub-freezing snow, J. Glaciol., 42, 292–304, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022143000004159, 1996.
Piepmeier, J. R., Focardi, P., Horgan, K. A., Knuble, J., Ehsan, N., Lucey, J., Brambora, C., Brown, P. R., Hoffman, P. J., French, R. T., Mikhaylov, R. L., Kwack, E., Slimko, E. M., Dawson, D. E., Hudson, D., Peng, J., Mohammed, P. N., De Amici, G., Freedman, A. P., Medeiros, J., Sacks, F., Estep, R., Spencer, M. W., Chen, C. W., Wheeler, K. B., Edelstein, W. N., O'Neill, P. E., and Njoku, E. G.: SMAP L-band microwave radiometer: Instrument design and first year on orbit, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 55, 1954–1966, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2016.2631978, 2017.
Poinar, K., Joughin, I., Lilien, D., Brucker, L., Kehrl, L., and Nowicki, S.: Drainage of southeast Greenland firn aquifer water through crevasses to the bed, Front. Earth Sci., https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00005, 2017.
Poinar, K., Dow, C. F., and Andrews, L. C.: Long-term support of an active subglacial hydrologic system in southeast Greenland by firn aquifers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 4772–4781, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082786, 2019.
Rignot, E.: Backscatter model for the unusual radar properties of the Greenland Ice Sheet, J. Geophys. Res.-Planet., 100, 9389–9400, https://doi.org/10.1029/95JE00485, 1995.
Rignot, E. J., Ostro, S. J., Van Zyl, J., and Jezek, K. C.: Unusual radar echoes from the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 261, 1710–1713, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.261.5129.1710, 1993.
Rodriguez-Morales, F., Byers, K., Crowe, R., Player, K., Hale, R. D., Arnold, E. J., Smith, L., Gifford, C. M., Braaten, D., Panton, C., Gogineni, S., Leuschen, C. J., Paden, J. D., Li, J., Lewis, C. C., Panzer, B., Gomez-Garcia Alvestegui, D., and Patel, A.: Advanced multi-frequency radar instrumentation for polar research, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 52, 2824–2842, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2013.2266415, 2014.
Schröder, L., Neckel, N., Zindler, R., and Humbert, A.: Perennial supraglacial lakes in northeast Greenland observed by polarimetric SAR, Remote Sens., 12, 2798, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12172798, 2020.
Shuman, C. A., Hall, D. K., DiGirolamo, N. E., Mefford, T. K., and Schnaubelt, M. J.: Comparison of near-surface air temperatures and MODIS ice-surface temperatures at Summit, Greenland (2008–2013), J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 53, 2171–2180, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-14-0023.1, 2014.
Steffen, K., Nghiem, S. V., Huff, R., and Neumann, G.: The melt anomaly of 2002 on the Greenland Ice Sheet from active and passive microwave satellite observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L2040, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020444, 2004.
Stevens, L. A., Behn, M. D., McGuire, J. J., Das, S. B., Joughin, I., Herring, T., Shean, D. E., and King, M. A.: Greenland supraglacial lake drainages triggered by hydrologically induced basal slip, Nature, 522, 73–76, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14480, 2015.
Swift, C. T., Hayes, P. S., Herd, J. S., Jones, W. L., and Delnore, V. E.: Airborne microwave measurements of the southern Greenland Ice Sheet, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 90, 1983–1994, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB090iB02p01983, 1985.
Tedesco, M. and Fettweis, X.: Unprecedented atmospheric conditions (1948–2019) drive the 2019 exceptional melting season over the Greenland ice sheet, The Cryosphere, 14, 1209–1223, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1209-2020, 2020.
Tedesco, M., Serreze, M., and Fettweis, X.: Diagnosing the extreme surface melt event over southwestern Greenland in 2007, The Cryosphere, 2, 159–166, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2-159-2008, 2008.
Tedesco, M., Fettweis, X., van den Broeke, M. R., van de Wal, R. S. W., Smeets, C. J. P. P., van de Berg, W. J., Serreze, M. C., and Box, J. E.: The role of albedo and accumulation in the 2010 melting record in Greenland, Environ. Res. Lett, 6, 014005, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/1/014005, 2011.
Tedesco, M., Mote, T., Fettweis, X., Hanna, E.,
Jeyaratnam, J., Booth, J. F., Datta, R., and Briggs, K.: Arctic
cut-off high drives the poleward shift of a new Greenland melting
record, Nat. Commun., 7, 11723–11723, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11723, 2016.
Tiuri, M. E., Sihvola, A. H., Nyfors, E. G., and Hallikaiken, M. T.: The complex dielectric constant of snow at microwave frequencies, IEEE J. Oceanic Eng., 9, 377–382, https://doi.org/10.1109/JOE.1984.1145645, 1984.
Tsai, W., Nghiem, S. V., and Van Zyl, J. J.: SeaWinds scatterometer on QuikSCAT mission and the emerging land and ocean applications, Proc. SPIE, 4152, 89–99, https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410586, 2000.
Turton, J. V., Hochreuther, P., Reimann, N., and Blau,
M. T.: The distribution and evolution of supraglacial lakes on
79∘ N Glacier (north-eastern Greenland) and interannual climatic
controls, The Cryosphere, 15, 3877–3896,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3877-2021, 2021.
Ulaby, F. T., Long, D. G., Blackwell, W. J., Elachi, C., Fung, A. K., Ruf, C., Sarabandi, C., Zebker, H. A., and Van Zyl, J.: Microwave radar and radiometric remote sensing, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 2014.
van den Broeke, M. R., Enderlin, E. M., Howat, I. M., Kuipers Munneke, P., Noël, B. P. Y., van de Berg, W. J., van Meijgaard, E., and Wouters, B.: On the recent contribution of the Greenland ice sheet to sea level change, The Cryosphere, 10, 1933–1946, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1933-2016, 2016.
van der Veen, C. J.: Fracture propagation as means of rapidly transferring surface meltwater to the base of glaciers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L01501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028385, 2007.
Wessel, P. and Smith, W. H. F.: A global, self-consistent, hierarchical, high-resolution shoreline database, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 8741–8743, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB00104, 1996.
Zwally, H. J., Abdalati, W., Herring, T., Larson, K., Saba, J., and Steffen, K.: Surface melt-induced acceleration of Greenland Ice Sheet flow, Science, 297, 218–222, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1072708, 2002.
Zwally, J. H.: Microwave emissivity and accumulation rate of polar firn, J. Glaciol., 18, 195–215, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022143000021304, 1977.
Short summary
We use L-band brightness temperature imagery from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite to map the extent of perennial firn aquifer and ice slab areas within the Greenland Ice Sheet. As Greenland's climate continues to warm and seasonal surface melting increases in extent, intensity, and duration, quantifying the possible rapid expansion of perennial firn aquifers and ice slab areas has significant implications for understanding the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
We use L-band brightness temperature imagery from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)...
