Anticipating CRISTAL: an exploration of multi-frequency satellite altimeter snow depth estimates over Arctic sea ice, 2018–2023
Jack C. Landy,Claude de Rijke-Thomas,Carmen Nab,Isobel Lawrence,Isolde A. Glissenaar,Robbie D. C. Mallett,Renée M. Fredensborg Hansen,Alek Petty,Michel Tsamados,Amy R. Macfarlane,and Anne Braakmann-Folgmann
In this study, we use three satellites to test the planned remote sensing approach of the upcoming mission Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL) over sea ice and that its dual radars will accurately measure the heights of the top and base of snow sitting atop floating sea ice floes. Our results suggest that CRISTAL's dual radars will not necessarily measure the snow top and base under all conditions. We find that accurate height measurements depend more on surface roughness than on snow properties, as is commonly assumed.
In this study, we use three satellites to test the planned remote sensing approach of the...