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June 2nd 2009
Ian Brown
Dept. of Physical Geography and Quaternary
Geology
and Bert Bolin Centre for Climate Research
“Glaciological Applications of Microwave Remote Sensing”
7,5 ECTS (Ph.D. Course)
Course Leader: Ian Brown (ian.brown@natgeo.su.se)
Summary
Microwave remote sensing techniques are widely used tool for climatological and
glaciological investigations. Glaciological applications include mass balance estimations,
facies mapping, snow melt monitoring and sea ice area and concentration mapping.
Spaceborne instruments have the capability to monitor terrestrial snow cover, sea ice, glaciers
and ice sheets at high resolution with wide spatial coverage. Microwave instruments are
largely insensitive to almost all but the most severe weather and cloud cover. Furthermore
these instruments can acquire imagery regardless of solar illumination making them
particularly useful for high latitude investigations. Several Scandinavian research groups are
users of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data though there is relatively little technical
competence. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is widely used and is supported by a greater
technical expertise but system design is varied and processing techniques poorly developed.
Passive microwave remote sensing is useful in regional climate investigations but traditionally
well developed expertise has been limited to Finnish investigators. However many research
groups are interested in developing their competence in microwave remote sensing and a new
generation of research students and post-docs are seeking to expand their knowledge. It is
proposed that a workshop be held in Stockholm to gather young researchers with an interest in
glaciological SAR to exchange information on ongoing research, establish a science network
and develop collaborations. This workshop will comprise the start of a five week course,
using contact and distance learning methods, aimed at improving the students’ understanding
of the methods and applications of glaciological microwave remote sensing in a climatescience perspective.
Stockholm University
Bert Bolin Centre for Climate Research
Visiting address:
Geovetenskapshus, Stockholm
University
www.bbcc.su.se
Phone: 0046 8 163984
Telefax: 0046 8 164818
E-mail: ian.brown@natgeo.su.se
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Rationale
The International Glaciological Society’s symposium on Radioglaciology, held in Madrid on
June 9th-13th illustrated the depth of interest in radar amongst the glaciological community in
Scandinavia. A strong presence from Stockholm University (INK), was matched by the
Norwegian Polar Institute whilst Uppsala and Oslo University’s were also represented.
Chalmers Technical University was not represented but actively researches sea ice mapping
and analysis with SAR and terrestrial snow cover. In all these research groups young
scientists, primarily at the post-doctoral or doctoral student level are taking responsibility for
developing this research although a feeling of relative isolation is apparent with some
researchers operating with little or no support. Due to limitations in software availability the
number of participants is limited to fifteen; around 8-10 are expected.
The interest in microwave remote sensing is due in part to the wide availability of data.
However, a more powerful argue for using such data is the ability of the microwave energy to
penetrate the snow surface of glaciers and ice sheets and scatter from internal layering, ice
inclusions and large grains. Active microwave instruments can therefore provide a horizontal
dimension to (vertical) GPR profiles. Additionally, new advances in SAR imagery, such as
the availability of fully polarimetric spaceborne SAR, have increased the sophistication of the
processing and the information content of the imagery. For the first time satellite SARs
operating at different frequencies are available meaning different glaciological properties can
be investigated.
The sophistication of SAR systems means that specialised knowledge is required to properly
process and interpret the data. Traditional image processing is not well adapted to SAR data
and instead dedicated routines have been developed to overcome problems such as
topographic distortion, image speckle and the need for rigorous calibration. SAR image
processing is not trivial and neither is image interpretation. In order to understand spatial and
temporal patterns in backscatter power and understanding of scattering processes is required.
Scattering can be affected by diverse parameters including the geometry between the satellite
and target, the dielectric properties of the target, the roughness of the surface and the
instrument frequency.
Course Plan (preliminary)
A two-day workshop at the start of the course, will act as a networking opportunity and
learning experience; it will provide an introduction to the range of research in glaciological
microwave remote sensing. Weeks one and two will be Stockholm based and full time; weeks
three to five will involve distance learning (at half-time). The course will use professional
software (SARScape) and freeware (RAT). ITTVIS have agreed to supply temporary
SARScape licenses at no cost.
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The first week will include a background in glaciological processes, presentations by course
attendees and an introduction to glaciological remote sensing.
Week two will be taken up by lectures and exercises on Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Week three will discuss passive microwave remote sensing (lecture, exercise & online forum
discussion).
Week four will cover non-imaging microwave sensors, principally Ground Penetrating Radar
and Radar Altimetry (lecture, exercise and online forum discussion) .
Week five will summarise the course with reference to ongoing research and the literature
(lecture, online forum discussion & student webinars).
The Mondo teaching platform will be used to facilitate discussions (‘online seminars’)
exchange information during weeks three-five. The student webinars will consist of student
presentations and Mondo-based question-and-answer sessions. The lecture material and
exercises will be created especially for the course. The seminars will be based on literature
and research case studies. Guest speakers will be invited to contribute material where
appropriate.
Climate relevance
The course will focus on measurements of the impact of a changing climate on the cryosphere.
Key topics will include the accurate measurement of sea ice thinning and retreat, glacier mass
balance change and the mass balance of the large ice sheets and changes to northern
hemisphere snow cover in the last three decades. We will also address the creation and
availability of datasets for climate modelling. A range of methods from local to hemispheric
scales will be introduced covering process studies to global climate change. All the attendees
will be required to exhibit a climate interest in their research. We aim to attract national and
international students. External students will be expected to fund their own attendance (i.e.
trip to, and accommodation in, Stockholm) though there will be no costs for tuition or learning
activities.
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Preliminary Schedule
1st Announcement
June 2009
Registration Deadline
31st August 2009
Teaching in Stockholm
29th Sept-9th Oct
Distance Learning (half-time)
Until 6th November 2009
The program may be subject to change.
Contact
Ian Brown
0046 8 163984
Ian.Brown@natgeo.su.se