CryoVEx 2011
Campaign Implementation Plan
Prepared by:
Issue:
Date:
Status:
Timothy Pearson, Mike Wooding
v0.2
December 2010
Draft
106751548
CryoVEx 2011 Campaign Implementation Plan
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The purpose of this document is to provide an overall plan for future campaign activities focused on
the validation of CryoSat-2 products. This plan includes information on the overall context for
CryoSat-2-related campaigns, a detailed summary of the planned campaigns and information on the
design of detailed field experiments.
CryoSat-2 CVRT Management
Malcolm Davidson
ESTEC
Postbus 299
Noordwijk 2200 AG
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 71 565 5957
Fax: +31 71 565 5675
Email: malcolm.davidson@esa.int
Duncan Wingham
Dept of Space & Climate Physics
University College London
Gower Street
London, WC1E 6BT
UK
Tel: + 44 20 7419 3677
Fax: + 44 20 7419 3418
Email: djw@mssl.ucl.ac.uk
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CONTENTS
1.
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................8
2.
OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................9
2.1. Overall objectives .........................................................................................................................9
2.2. List of Participants ......................................................................................................................11
2.3. Summary of sites, PIs and validation objectives.........................................................................13
2.4. Location of the validation activities ............................................................................................13
2.5. Schedule ......................................................................................................................................14
2.6. Additional information ................................................................................................................16
3.
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES .......................................................................................................17
3.1. Aircraft ........................................................................................................................................17
3.2. Airborne instruments...................................................................................................................22
3.3. Ships ............................................................................................................................................27
3.4. Submarine measurement equipment ...........................................................................................29
3.5. Ground-based measurement equipment ......................................................................................30
3.6. Deployment of resources ............................................................................................................33
4.
LAND ICE ACTIVITIES ...........................................................................................................35
4.1. Greenland interior .......................................................................................................................35
4.2. Austfonna, Svalbard ....................................................................................................................39
4.3. Devon Island ...............................................................................................................................43
5.
SEA ICE ACTIVITIES ...............................................................................................................49
5.1. Alert/Canadian Arctic .................................................................................................................49
5.2. Fram Strait...................................................................................................................................54
5.3. Baltic Sea ....................................................................................................................................58
6.
CRYOSAT-2 DATA ACCESS ..................................................................................................61
6.1. CroSat-2 products .......................................................................................................................61
6.2. Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) .....................................................................................61
6.3. Data access for cal/val users .......................................................................................................61
6.4. CUT.............................................................................................................................................63
6.5. Timescale ....................................................................................................................................63
7.
CONTACTS................................................................................................................................64
7.1. PIs................................................................................................................................................64
7.2. Aircraft operators ........................................................................................................................64
7.3. Participants ..................................................................................................................................64
Appendix 1 Co-located observations over sea ice ..................................................................................66
Appendix 2 Ground-based measurement methodologies .......................................................................67
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Graphical representation of sources of error .........................................................................11
Figure 2.2 Approximate location of CryoVEx 2011 activities ...............................................................13
Figure 3.1 Norlandair Twin Otter (OY-POF) .........................................................................................17
Figure 3.2 OY-POF instrument configuration ........................................................................................17
Figure 3.3 ASIRAS antenna (left) and laser scanner (right) mounted on OY-POF ...............................18
Figure 3.4 Sites to be visited by Norlandair Twin Otter, Spring 2011 ...................................................18
Figure 3.5 Impression of ‘Polar 5’ (C-GAWI) equipped with EM Bird.................................................20
Figure 3.6 CReSIS Radar Sensors on board NASA P-3B (N426NA) ....................................................22
Figure 3.7 ASIRAS operation .................................................................................................................23
Figure 3.8 ATM data acquired on the first CryoSat-2 underflight .........................................................24
Figure 3.9 Example of LVIS data ...........................................................................................................25
Figure 3.10 EM Bird installed on ‘Polar 5’ ............................................................................................26
Figure 3.11 Helicopter-borne EM Bird ...................................................................................................27
Figure 3.12 RV Lance .............................................................................................................................27
Figure 3.13 KV Svalbard ........................................................................................................................28
Figure 3.14 RV Aranda ...........................................................................................................................28
Figure 3.15 Typical AUV, Gavia, in its deployment ice hole ................................................................29
Figure 3.16 Sledge-mounted GPR (Austfonna, University of Oslo) ......................................................30
Figure 3.17 Snow depth derived from a sledge-mounted 800MHz GPR, Austfonna, 2007 ..................30
Figure 3.18 UCL snow radar...................................................................................................................31
Figure 3.19 University of Edinburgh VHB radar ...................................................................................31
Figure 3.20 Typical set-up for ground-based EM ice thickness surveys ................................................32
Figure 4.1 Plot of the EGIG Transect .....................................................................................................36
Figure 4.2 Intensive observation site with corner reflector in background (left) ...................................37
Figure 4.3 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over Austfonna Ice Cap and annual GPS/GPR survey lines......41
Figure 4.4 Location of sites on the Devon Ice Cap .................................................................................44
Figure 4.5 Sun halo over Summit Camp, Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut .......................................................45
Figure 4.6 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, 4 April-25 May 2011................47
Figure 5.1 Proposed ‘Polar 5’ flight lines from Alert .............................................................................51
Figure 5.2 In-situ ice and snow thickness / properties measurement......................................................52
Figure 5.3 Location of CryoVEx 2011 activities in the Fram Strait .......................................................55
Figure 5.4 Schematic of Baltic Sea experiment design ..........................................................................59
Figure 5.5 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over the Bay of Bothnia .............................................................60
Figure 6.1 Data distribution mechanisms for CryoSat-2 cal/val users ...................................................62
Figure 6.2 Screenshot of the EOLi-SA catalogue browser .....................................................................62
Figure 6.3 CUT interface ........................................................................................................................63
Figure 7.1 Effect of sea ice drift on acquisition of co-located observations ...........................................66
Figure 7.2 Typical coffee-can arrangement ............................................................................................69
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 CryoSat-2 mission requirements ...............................................................................................9
Table 2.2 CryoSat-2 validation requirements with related chapters in CCVC document ......................10
Table 3.1 Complete schedule of OY-POF charter, Spring 2011 ............................................................19
Table 3.2 Basler BT-67 (DC-3) and its mission performance data ........................................................20
Table 3.3 Lockheed Martin P-3B mission performance data .................................................................21
Table 3.4 CReSIS Radar Sensors on board NASA P-3B (N426NA) .....................................................26
Table 6.1 Overview of CryoSat-2 products ............................................................................................61
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REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
[R1]
CryoSat Mission Requirements Document, CS-RS-UCL-SY-0001, Issue 1, 21 September 1999,
Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling, Department of Space & Climate Physics,
University College London, UK
[R2]
CryoSat Mission and Data Description, CS-RP-ESA-SY-0059, Issue 3, 2 Jan 2007, ESTEC, The
Netherlands
[R3]
CryoSat Calibration and Validation Concept (CCVC), CS-PL-UCL-SY-0004, Issue 1, 14
November 2001, Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling, Department of Space & Climate
Physics, University College London, UK
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ALS
Airborne Laser Scanner (AWI)
AO
Announcement of Opportunity
AP
Alternating Polarisation Mode (ASAR)
ASAR
Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (Envisat)
ASIRAS
Airborne Synthetic Aperture and Interferometric Radar Altimeter System
ATM
Airborne Topographic Mapper (NASA)
AUV
Automated Underwater Vehicle
AVHRR
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA)
AWI
Alfred Wegner Institute
AWS
Automatic Weather Station
CCVC
CryoSat Calibration and Validation Concept
CIP
Campaign Implementation Plan
CNES
Centre National d'Études Spatiales
CPOM
Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling (UCL)
CR
Corner Reflector
CReSIS
Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets
CUT
CryoSat User Tool
CVRT
Calibration, Validation and Retrieval Team
DTU
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (Danish Technical University)
EGIG
l’Expedition Glacialogique Internationale au Groenland
EM
Electromagnetic
EOLi-SA
Earth Observation Link – Stand-alone
EOPI
Earth Observation Principal Investigator
ESA
European Space Agency
ESRIN
ESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESA)
ESTEC
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA)
FBR
Full Bit Rate
FDM
Fast Delivery Ocean product (SIRAL)
FMCW
Frequency Modulated Continuous-wave radar
FMI
Finnish Meteorological Institute
FOS
Flight Operations Segment
FYI
First-year Ice
GDR
Geophysical Data Record
GPR
Ground Penetrating Radar
GPS / DGPS
Global Positioning System / Differential Global Positioning System
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HAM
High Altitude Mode (ASIRAS)
INS
Inertial Navigation System
LAM
Low Altitude Mode (ASIRAS)
LRM
Low-resolution Mode (SIRAL)
LSS
Last Summer Surface
LTA
Long-term Archiving
LVIS
Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (NASA)
MCoRDS
Multicoherent Radar Depth Sounder (CReSIS)
MDD
Mission and Data Description
MODIS
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (NASA)
MURM
Mission and User Requirements Management
MYI
Multi-year Ice
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPI
Norwegian Polar Institute
NRT
Near-real time
PDS / PDGS
Payload Data Segment / Payload Data Ground Segment
PI
Principal Investigator
RSAC
Remote Sensing Applications Consultants Ltd
SARIn
SAR-Interferometric Mode (SIRAL)
SIRAL
Synthetic Aperture Interferometric Radar Altimeter (CryoSat-2)
SPRI
Scott Polar Research Institute
UCL
University College London
VHB
Very High Bandwidth
WSM
Wide Swath Mode (ASAR)
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Earth Explorer satellites of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Living Planet Programme are
missions focussed on specific Earth system issues and are selected through open, scientific
competition. The CryoSat-2 mission provides measurements of mass and thickness fluctuations in the
Earth’s land and marine ice fields to the wider scientific and applications community. The
measurements are of particular importance for the testing and verification of mesoscale and regional
numerical models that include cryospheric components, and for improving the understanding of
present changes in global sea level. The wider community requires measurements that need no further
processing for their application and which are supported by estimates of their uncertainty.
CryoSat-2, launched on 8 April 2010, is a replacement of the CryoSat satellite that was lost due to
launch failure on 8 October 2005. The CryoSat-2 announcement of opportunity (AO) is aimed at
establishing the uncertainty in measurements of sea ice thickness and land ice thickness change. In the
frame of the CryoSat mission, a Calibration, Validation and Retrieval Team (CVRT) was previously
established and has been augmented by new Principal Investigators following the second AO. The role
of the CVRT is to help elaborate details of coordinated cal/val strategy, to contribute to cal/val efforts
and to provide feedback to ESA on the results thereof.
ESA has supported extensive pre-launch validation campaigns by providing simultaneous overflights
of surface experiments performed by CVRT members in Greenland, Canada, Svalbard and the Arctic
Ocean in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. These experiments were coordinated by the CVRT to
ensure optimal use of the aircraft and maximise the value of data. Moving forwards, ESA will
coordinate further campaigns aimed at the validation and calibration of CryoSat-2 data products in
relation to the commissioning phase of the satellite.
The purpose of the CryoVEx2011 Campaign Implementation Plan (CIP) is to describe the plans for
validation activities to be carried out in the Arctic during Boreal Spring 2011 and to demonstrate how
these meet the stated requirements laid out in the CryoSat Calibration and Validation Concept (CCVC)
document [R3]. The plan includes information on the overall context of the CryoSat-2 Cal/Val
Campaign, a summary of the planned activity and detailed information on the design of field
experiments, the groups responsible for their implementation, their schedule, and the related schedule
of satellite and ground segment operations.
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2. OVERVIEW
2.1. Overall objectives
A full description of the CryoSat-2 mission objectives is provided in the CryoSat Mission
Requirements document [R1]. The scientific requirements demand that CryoSat-2 measures variations
in the thickness of perennial sea and land ice fields to the limit allowed by natural variability (see
Table 2.1). The measurements provided by CryoSat-2 will have associated with them a level of
measurement uncertainty. This uncertainty arises from:

imperfections in the measurement system, leading to errors in the level 1b data (note that the data
processing levels for CryoSat-2 are described in the CryoSat Mission and Data Description
document [R2]);

imperfections in, or lack of knowledge of the geophysical assumptions used to transform the level 1b
data to level 2 and higher.
The first of these sources of uncertainty is the subject of calibration, while the second is the subject of
validation.
Sea Ice
105 km2
Ice Sheets
104 km2
Ice Sheets
13.8×106 km2
50°
72°
63°
System Measurement Accuracy
1.6 cm/yr
3.3 cm/yr
0.7 cm/yr
Performance
1.2 cm/yr
2.7 cm/yr
3.3 cm/yr
0.12 cm/yr
SAR
LRM
SARIn
SARIn/LRM
Requirement
Minimum Latitude
Mode
Table 2.1 CryoSat-2 mission requirements
A comprehensive evaluation of the contributions to these uncertainties and the potential methods
available to estimate them is given in the CCVC document [R3]. It is shown that to verify the mission
requirements it is necessary to determine the covariance of the level 1b and level 2 errors, and that this
places considerable demands on the nature and quantity of the independent measurements used to
verify the uncertainties. The document [R3] is effectively the source of requirements for calibration
and validation, as well as a summary of means available to satisfy these requirements.
The overall objective of all CryoSat-2 validation activities is thus to assess and quantify uncertainty in
the CryoSat-2 measurements of sea ice thickness and land ice thickness change. The principal means
for carrying out this program will be through dedicated, independent, ground-based and airborne
campaigns along with detailed investigations of retrieval methods applied to the satellite
measurements.
In Table 2.2 the validation requirements are listed as a function of the source of error in the CryoSat-2
products. The requirements for land and sea ice validation are subdivided and a reference to the
appropriate chapter in the CCVC is given for each source. In terms of the planning of validation
campaigns, the requirements listed in Table 2.2 have a number of important implications, which need
to be addressed in the validation plan.
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Error Source
CCVC [R3]
Chapter
Required measurements for validation
Land Ice
Ice core observations
1)
Snowfall fluctuation
3.2
Reappraisal of existing accumulation records
Shallow firn radar measurements
Improved ablation modelling
2)
Near surface density
3.3
Improved modelling using in situ forcings
Densification time-series
Comparison with airborne or ICESat laser
measurements
3)
Retrieval error – time-varying
penetration
3.4.2, 3.4.3
Detailed investigation of time-variant 13.8Ghz volume
scattering using airborne laser/radar systems
In situ transponder measurements
4)
Retrieval error - atmospheric
refraction error
3.4.2
Model investigations of expected contribution
Sea Ice
In situ measurements
5)
Snow loading
4.2
Reappraisal of existing snow depth records
Very narrow beam firn radar measurements
6)
Ice Density
4.3
Helicopter electromagnetic thickness and freeboard
measurements
Sea ice coring
7)
Preferential sampling
4.1, 4.5
Coincident laser altimetry and imagery
Coincident CryoSat-2 measurements and imagery
Comparison with airborne or ICESat laser
measurements
8)
Freeboard error - Geometric &
penetration errors
4.4.2, 4.4.3
9)
Freeboard error - Ocean Tide
Error
4.4.1, 4.4.2
Direct measurement from CryoSat-2 satellite data
10)
Freeboard error - Ocean Geoid
error
4.4.1, 4.4.2
Comparison with CHAMP and GRACE satellite
measurements
11)
Freeboard error - Ocean
variability error
4.4.1, 4.4.2
Direct measurement from CryoSat-2 satellite data
12)
Freeboard error - atmospheric
refraction error
4.4.1, 4.4.2
Model investigations of expected contribution
Detailed investigation of time-variant 13.8Ghz volume
scattering using airborne laser/radar systems
Comparison with ground survey
Table 2.2 CryoSat-2 validation requirements with related chapters in CCVC document
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Figure 2.1 Graphical representation of sources of error
key sources highlighted in blue
2.2. List of Participants
AWI
Helm, Veit
Hendricks, Stefan
Herber, Andreas
Steinhage, Daniel
DTU Space
Forsberg, Rene
Skourup, Henriette
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Haapala, Jari
Heiler, István
Lensu, Mikko
Geological Survey of Canada
Burgess, Dave
Demuth, Michael
van Wychen, Wes
Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de Villefranche
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Doble, Martin
NASA
Krabill, William
Studinger, Michael
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Lab for Satellite Altimetry
McAdoo, David
Norwegian Polar Institute
Gerland, Sebastian
Kohler, Jack
Brandt, Ola
Farsstrøm, Sanja
Gjerland, Audun
Granskog, Mats
Goodwin, Harvey
Hansen, Edmond
Renner, Angelika
Tårand, Anna
Tronstad, Stein
Scott Polar Research Institute
Morris, Liz
University College London
Laxon, Seymour
Giles, Katherine
University of Alberta
Haas, Christian
Sharp, Martin
Beckers, Justin
Danielson, Brad
Gascon, Gabrielle
Geai, Marie-Laure
Tremaine, Terry
University of Edinburgh
Nienow, Pete
de la Peña, Santiago
University of Oslo
Hagen, Jon Ove
Eiken, Trond
Schuler, Thomas
Ims, Torbjørn
University of Ottawa
de Jong, Tyler
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2.3. Summary of sites, PIs and validation objectives
Site
Greenland interior
Austfonna, Svalbard
Devon Island
PI
Morris/Nienow
Hagen
Demuth/Sharp
Validation objectives addressed
1
2

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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
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   
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
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  
10
11
12
Haas


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     



Fram Strait
Gerland



     



Baltic Sea
Haapala



     



Alert/Canadian Arctic
2.4. Location of the validation activities
Figure 2.2 shows the approximate locations of the PI-led activities described in the rest of this
document. Where activities extend over a very large area, a general, central point is indicated.
Figure 2.2 Approximate location of CryoVEx 2011 activities
green = land ice campaigns; blue = sea ice campaigns
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2.5. Schedule
The formal Commissioning Phase of the CryoSat-2 mission came to an end in October 2010.
Commissioning has so far addressed technical issues and instrument functionality but, since validation
with ground data is seasonally dependant and the satellite has yet to ‘live’ through a Boreal winter,
data products are not yet fully tested. Therefore, the CVRT will be engaged in Commissioning
activities through Spring 2011 in order to provide a first assessment of data products, and report on
instrument calibration activities. The CryoSat-2 Validation Workshop will be held on 1-3 February
2011 at ESRIN, Frascati, Italy.
The activities of CryoVEx 2011 are concentrated in April and May 2011, although work in the Baltic
Sea will take place earlier. All activities, and in particular the flight schedules of the aircraft involved
in the campaign, are subject to weather conditions and the plan is flexible to account for this.
During the ‘Science’ mission phase that follows the commissioning phase, the CVRT will support the
validation of data products, investigations of retrieval algorithms and ongoing monitoring of the
instrument system and data products. They will support the System Performance and Retrieval
Algorithm Workshop, which will consolidate the experience gained after 18 months of CryoSat-2
operation.
An important outcome of the System Performance and Retrieval Algorithm Workshop will be a
consolidated recommendation from the CVRT as to the optimal level 1b and level 2 retrieval
algorithms with which to reprocess the data. The reprocessing of the entire data set is foreseen in the
mission planning because the primary instrument carried by CryoSat-2 – the synthetic aperture
interferometric radar altimeter (SIRAL) – is a new type of radar altimeter. Past experience shows that
with new sensors, retrieval algorithms may be greatly improved in the light of experience gained in
using the data. Evaluation of the performance of retrieval algorithms is also greatly helped by
supporting ground observations. It is for this reason that the two activities of algorithm design and
validation are integrated within the activities of the CVRT.
It is anticipated that some validation activities, together with ongoing system and data monitoring, will
continue throughout the mission lifetime, nominally 3.5 years after launch.
Figure 2.3 Overview of schedule for CryoVEx 2011
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2.6. Additional information
To support potential users of the CryoSat-2 mission, and in particular to support the cal/val activities,
three documents have been prepared to provide a detailed description of the mission as a whole.

The CryoSat Mission Requirements Document [R1]: This document contains a description of the
scientific context of the mission, the scientific and measurement objectives and how these are
related, an introduction to the thickness and elevation retrievals, and an outline of the satellite system
and data products. This document is of general interest. It is, essentially, a large portion of the
contents of the original CryoSat mission proposal. The technical information is expanded and
updated in the MDD (see below).

The CryoSat Mission and Data Description (MDD) [R2]: This document provides a technical
description of the CryoSat mission sensors, platform, ground segment, operations, and data products.
This document is of general interest. It contains, in particular, details of the mission phases, orbits,
instrument measurement modes, management of satellite operations and explanation of planned data
products.

The CryoSat Calibration and Validation Concept (CCVC) [R3]: This document describes the
objective of the validation and calibration activity, and the range of surface measurements of
importance in achieving these calibration and validation objectives. It provides both a theoretical
framework for understanding the validation objectives, and a range of practical approaches and
experiments. It is particularly aimed at individuals or groups interested in field activities in support
of the CryoSat-2 mission.
CryoSat-2 is very substantially a replica of CryoSat, intended to fulfil the original CryoSat mission.
The small changes between CryoSat-2 and the original satellite are described in the MDD.
In addition to these documents, a scientific description of the mission, the level 1b and level 2 retrieval
algorithms and their verification may be found in:

Wingham et al. (2006), CryoSat: A mission to determine the fluctuations in Earth’s land and marine
ice fields, Advances in Space Research, 37:841-871
These documents, which will be updated from time to time, and other material relating to the
CryoSat-2
mission,
can
be
downloaded
from
the
CryoSat-2
website
at
http://eopi.esa.int/CryoSat-2CalVal.
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3. CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
3.1. Aircraft
3.1.1. Norlandair Twin Otter
A De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter (OY-POF) with wheels and skis will be chartered
from Norlandair by DTU Space from 11 April to 8 May 2011. The aircraft was formerly owned by Air
Greenland and is based at Kangerlussuaq.
The Twin Otter is suitable for a short take-off and landing site (required runway ~200m) and has a
maximum range of 1500km (6 hours’ flying) with airspeeds up to 250km/h.
Figure 3.1 Norlandair Twin Otter (OY-POF)
The Twin Otter is adapted to fly ASIRAS, a laser scanner and APL’s D2P radar altimeter (see Figure
3.2). Differential GPS and inertial systems provide positioning accuracies to within 10-40cm and 0.05
degrees (depending on atmospheric conditions). A nadir-looking digital camera is also mounted on the
aircraft, providing continuous images which can be correlated with other data to provide a record of
the flight line.
Figure 3.2 OY-POF instrument configuration
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Figure 3.3 ASIRAS antenna (left) and laser scanner (right) mounted on OY-POF
The aircraft carries 5 personnel (2 pilots, a mechanic and 2 scientists).
In 2011 OY-POF will perform a tour of most CryoVEx sites (see Table 3.1 and Figure 3.4) to conduct
flights in coordination with CryoSat-2 ground tracks and other campaign activities. For this purpose,
the aircraft will be configured to carry ASIRAS and a laser scanner, the same instrumentation that
were flown in 2006 and 2008. During the Easter period (21-25 April 2011), OY-POF will return to
Kangerlussuaq to conduct flights for a Danish national project, PROMICE, using a different
instrument configuration. Between campaigns, when the aircraft is empty of instrumentation, OY-POF
may be used to ferry scientists and equipment into the Greenland interior (see §4.1).
Figure 3.4 Sites to be visited by Norlandair Twin Otter, Spring 2011
blue: activities before Easter; green: activities after Easter
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Week
15
Date
Activities
11
Kangerlussuaq: Install instruments
12
Install instruments, local test flight
13
Kangerlussuaq – Thule AB – Alert
14
15
16
Alert
17
April
18
16
19
Alert – Thule AB – Kangerlussuaq
20
Spare
21
Change instruments
22
Change instruments
23
PROMICE flights (Danish national project)
24
Change instruments
25
Change instruments
26
Kangerlussuaq – Ilulissat
EGIG line, CryoSat-2 track
May
17
18
27
Ilulissat – EGIG-line – Constable Point – Station Nord
28
Station Nord – Svalbard
29
Austfonna (Kongsvegen)
30
Flight north of Svalbard, RV Lance (CryoSat-2 track)
1
Spare
2
Svalbard – St. Nord, local flight St. Nord
3
St. Nord – Thule AB
4
Devon Ice Cap
5
Spare
6
Thule AB – Kangerlussuaq
7
Spare
8
Uninstall instruments
Table 3.1 Complete schedule of OY-POF charter, Spring 2011
The following personnel are involved in Norlandair Twin Otter operations:
Name
Institution
Forsberg, Rene
DTU Space
Skourup, Henriette
DTU Space
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3.1.2. AWI ‘Polar 5’
A Basler BT-67 (DC-3) aircraft, ‘Polar 5’ (C-GAWI), has been purchased by AWI to undertake
surveys in the Polar Regions. It is equipped with an EM system (see Figure 3.5), an Airborne Laser
Scanner (ALS) and a nadir video & photography system.
Maximum payload
3,500kg
Endurance for ferry
3,500km
Endurance 600/1,000kg
Number of passengers
2,600/2,100km
18 PAX
Min./max. cruising speed
156/390km/h
Take off/landing speed
116/120km/h
Maximum take-off elevation
Pitch angle during flight
Power supply each engine
4,100m
0°
400A
Table 3.2 Basler BT-67 (DC-3) and its mission performance data
(values account for crew and 45’ fuel reserve but no skis)
Figure 3.5 Impression of ‘Polar 5’ (C-GAWI) equipped with EM Bird
During Spring 2011, from 1 March to 6 May, ‘Polar 5’ will participate in PAM-ARCMIP (Pan-Arctic
Measurements and Arctic Regional Climate Model Simulations), which aims to provide a unique
snapshot of trace gases and aerosol distributions, meteorological conditions, and sea ice distribution in
the inner Arctic. As part of this schedule, the aircraft will visit Barrow, Inuvik, Resolute Bay, Alert,
Eureka, Station Nord and Longyearbyen. Those operations in Alert (11-18 April 2011) and
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Longyearbyen (29 April – 4 May 2011) will be coordinated to additionally serve the objectives of the
CryoVEx 2011 Campaign.
It is foreseen that ‘Polar 5’ EM Bird operations out of Alert, Canada, will be repeated for the period
2011-2012.
The following personnel are involved in ‘Polar 5’ operations:
Name
Institution
Hendricks, Stefan (PI)
AWI
Herber, Andreas
AWI
Steinhage, Daniel
AWI
Helm, Veit
AWI
Haas, Christian
University of Alberta
3.1.3. Kenn Borek Twin Otter
A second Twin Otter will be chartered from Kenn Borek Air Ltd (KBAL), a diversified aircraft charter
and leasing operation in Canada.
It will be used primarily to ferry ground teams and equipment in and out of Alert and from Alert to two
preselected sites on the Arctic Ocean sea ice.
3.1.4. NASA P-3B
The Lockheed Martin P-3B aircraft (N426NA), based at Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA, is
ideally suited for low altitude heavy lift airborne science missions. The NASA P-3B has a long history
of supporting cryosphere studies, and due to the long range of the aircraft, it is able to support ice sheet
studies in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions from bases at more temperate latitudes.
Flight duration
8-12hrs
Payload
≤ 16,700lbs
Altitude
28,000 feet
Airspeed
Range
330 knots
≤ 3,800 nautical miles
Table 3.3 Lockheed Martin P-3B mission performance data
From 2009 to 2016, N426NA will take part in Operation IceBridge, which uses instrumented aircraft
to bridge the observational gap between ICESat and ICESat-2, thus providing a cross-calibrated 17year time series of ice sheet and sea ice elevation data together with CryoSat-2. In addition to laser
altimetry, IceBridge is using the most comprehensive and sophisticated suite of instruments ever flown
in polar research to yield an unprecedented three-dimensional view of the Arctic and Antarctic ice
sheets, ice shelves, and sea ice.
N426NA generally operates in the Arctic, covering Greenland and the Arctic Ocean. In 2011 it will be
active from March to mid-May. Among other instrumentation, it will be equipped with four radars for
snow and ice thickness measurements (see Figure 3.6). The MCoRDS array is the largest external
structure ever flown on a P-3.
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N426NA operations may be coordinated with ground-based activities to contribute to the CryoVEx
dataset.
Figure 3.6 CReSIS Radar Sensors on board NASA P-3B (N426NA)
The following personnel are involved in N426NA operations:
Name
Institution
Studinger, Michael
NASA
Krabill, William
NASA
McAdoo, David
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Lab for Satellite
Altimetry
3.2. Airborne instruments
3.2.1. ASIRAS
Within the frame of the CryoSat mission, ESA has developed an airborne proxy for ‘SIRAL’ radar
altimeter on CryoSat-2. The Airborne Synthetic Aperture and Interferometric Radar Altimeter System
(ASIRAS) has been integrated into an airborne platform and operates with simultaneous laser altimetry
and optical imagery to provide detailed information on the interaction of the radar echo with land- and
sea-ice surfaces.
ASIRAS was built by Radar Systemtechnik (RST) of Switzerland with the support of the Alfred
Wegner Institute (AWI) and Optimare for implementation and operation on an aircraft.
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The instrument can be flown at altitudes of 300m to 7km with a typical recording time of 5 hours. It is
fully supported with onboard differential GPS and an inertial navigation system (INS) providing highprecision navigation and aircraft attitude (pitch and roll) data.
The ASIRAS instrument operates with a centre frequency of 13.5 GHz with a bandwidth of of
100MHz to 1GHz. The pulse transmit/receive antenna half power beam widths are 10° along track and
2.5° across track, resulting in a beam limited footprint of 50×5m for flight altitudes of 1100m above
any surface. The instrument is designed with two modes of operation. High altitude mode (HAM)
operates at altitudes above ~1000 m as phase coherent pulse-width limited radar with interferometric
capability with optional manual or on-board (automatic) surface tracking. At lower altitudes a new
mode was built into the system in 2005. The low altitude mode (LAM) operates as a FMCW at
operationally programmable ranges of altitudes between 0 and 1200m (tested between 300-1000m).
LAM does not include interferometric capability, nor does it allow surface tracking. An updated LAM
mode (LAM-A) with reduced data volume was verified in 2007. A side-effect of LAM-A is that the
ASIRAS to surface range may not vary more than 20m (t.b.c.) and is therefore suited only to surfaces
with minimal topography (open water and sea ice). For 2011, new software has been implemented.
MY FY
Figure 3.7 ASIRAS operation
(left) ASIRAS operating modes; (top right) ASIRAS waveforms over multi-year (MY) and first year
(FY) sea ice; (bottom right) ASIRAS waveforms over corner reflectors (arrows) on sea ice
Further information concerning the performance of the ASIRAS radar and its data may be found at:
ftp.cryosat.esa.int
Username: cryo-calvalao
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Password: cryo_validation
Directory: from_estec/Documents/
3.2.2. Laser scanners
The DTU Space laser scanner is a near-infrared laser altimeter with a scan angle of ±30°
corresponding to a swath width of 300-500m at a flight altitude of 300-500m. The footprint at 300m is
0.75×1.00m. The normal data rate is 8 kHz, giving 208 measurements across track and 1.5-2.0m line
spacing. The laser scanner measurements are combined with differential GPS and inertial navigation
system observations and nadir looking photography. The estimated accuracy is ±2cm in addition to
any error from the GPS position.
The AWI Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS) provides a swath of height measurements at a scan rate of
18kHz. The scan angle is ±22.5°, giving 45° in total, and the expected height accuracy 10-15cm. A
strip of approximately 400m on the ground is imaged from a flight altitude of 500m. Each scan
consists of 113 single laser shots spread across the swath, giving an across track sampling distance of
approximately 4m.
The Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) is a scanning laser altimeter developed and used by
NASA for observing the Earth's topography for several scientific applications, foremost of which is the
measurement of changing arctic and antarctic icecaps and glaciers. It typically flies on the NASA P-3B
aircraft or on a Twin Otter at an altitude between 400 and 800m (1,500ft) above ground level, and
measures topography to an accuracy of 10-20cm. The ATM platform incorporates GPS (global
positioning system) receivers and inertial navigation system (INS) attitude sensors.
Figure 3.8 ATM data acquired on the first CryoSat-2 underflight
NASA's Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS, a.k.a. the Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor), is an
airborne laser altimeter designed to quickly and extensively map surface topography as well as the
relative heights of other reflecting surfaces within the laser footprint. LVIS is capable of operating
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from 500 m to 10 km above ground level with footprint sizes from 1 to 60m. Laser footprints can be
randomly spaced within the 7° telescope field-of-view, constrained only by the operating frequency of
the ND:YAG Q-switched laser (500Hz). A significant innovation of the LVIS altimeter is that all
ranging, waveform recording, and range gating are performed using a single digitiser, clock base, and
detector. The surface height distribution of all reflecting surfaces within the laser footprint can be
determined, for example, tree height and ground elevation. The LVIS, which also includes data from
an integrated inertial navigation system (INS) and global positioning system (GPS), is designed,
developed and operated by the Laser Remote Sensing Laboratory, at Goddard Space Flight Center.
The instrument is typically flown on board a NASA DC-8 aircraft.
Figure 3.9 Example of LVIS data
3.2.3. Radars
NASA’s P-3B, N426NA, has a suite of four radar instruments with an operating range of 190MHz to
15GHz (see Table 3.4).
Instrument
Measurements
Frequency (Bandwidth)
MCoRDS
Ice Thickness
Bed Characteristics
Bed Imaging
Internal Layering
195MHz (30MHz)
Accumulation
Internal Layering
750MHz (300MHz)
Snow Radar
Snow Cover
Internal Layering
Topography
4.5GHz (4GHz)
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Ku-Band
Snow Cover
Topography
14GHz (4GHz)
Table 3.4 CReSIS Radar Sensors on board NASA P-3B (N426NA)
With a total of 15 receive elements in the antenna, distributed across the wingspan of the P-3, the
MCoRDS instrument has the sensitivity required to sound the deepest parts of fast-flowing glaciers.
3.2.4. EM sensors
EM sensor systems manufactured by Ferra Dynamics, known as EM Birds, are owned and operated by
AWI, NPI and the University of Alberta. The airborne sensors provide independent precise
measurements of actual sea ice thickness using the principle of electromagnetic induction sounding.
The sensor is suspended beneath an aircraft or helicopter at heights of between 10-20m above the ice
surface (see Figure 3.11). Total (ice plus snow) thickness data is collected every 3-4m with an
accuracy of ±10cm over level ice. The EM Bird also includes a laser altimeter to measure the distance
to the ice surface, which provides additional information about surface roughness and pressure ridge
statistics.
A helicopter-borne system (sometimes called HEM Bird) has a typical range of 300 nautical miles and
typically flies at a speed of approximately 100km/h.
Figure 3.10 EM Bird installed on ‘Polar 5’
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Figure 3.11 Helicopter-borne EM Bird
3.3. Ships
3.3.1. RV Lance
From 26 April to 16 May 2011, the RV Lance will conduct an interdisciplinary cruise north of
Svalbard to make transect(s) across the marginal ice zone and the ice shelf edge and conduct ice
stations.
The ship is accompanied by a helicopter equipped with the EM Bird instrument.
RV Lance has an IceCam permanently installed.
Figure 3.12 RV Lance
The following personnel are involved in RV Lance operations:
Name
Institution
Gerland, Sebastian
Norwegian Polar Institute
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Granskog, Mats
Norwegian Polar Institute
Renner, Angelika
Norwegian Polar Institute
3.3.2. KV Svalbard
The Norwegian ice breaker KV Svalbard could be used in support of sea ice activities in the Fram
Strait, either on an additional cruise earlier in April or in place of RV Lance (§3.3.1).
Figure 3.13 KV Svalbard
3.3.3. RV Aranda
FMI will conduct a sea ice cruise in the Bay of Bothnia from 22 February to 5 March 2011. The cruise
is interdisciplinary, addressing sea-ice dynamics and biogeochemical studies as well as collecting field
data for satellite remote sensing and model validation studies.
Aranda is a modern, ice-reinforced research vessel. She was planned for Baltic Sea research but, in
principle, is able to operate in all seas. The length of the ship is 59.2m, with a beam of 13.8m and gross
register tonnage of 1,734GT. The ship accommodates a research staff of 25 persons.
In addition to a complete oceanographic measurement capability, the RV Aranda is equipped with icecam, a radar digitising unit and a ship-borne EM31 for sea-ice studies.
Figure 3.14 RV Aranda
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The following personnel are involved in RV Aranda operations:
Name
Institution
Haapala, Jari
Finnish Meteorological Institute
3.4. Submarine measurement equipment
3.4.1. Automated Underwater Vehicle
An Automated Underwater Vehicle (AUV) could be made available from the University of Cambridge
to conduct draft surveys in coordination with airborne acquisitions.
With its range of 70km, the AUV is capable of making long transects or gridded surveys, although
beneath 100% sea ice it must be tethered and is therefore restricted to a typical radius of ~150m.
The imaging swath is 100m wide and navigation accuracy on long transects is ±100m over 10km.
Figure 3.15 Typical AUV, Gavia, in its deployment ice hole
The Cambridge University AUV could be operated from RV Lance.
The following personnel are involved in AUV operations:
Name
Institution
Doble, Martin
Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de
Villefranche
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3.5. Ground-based measurement equipment
3.5.1. Ground Penetrating Radar
Snow radars are Ground Penetrating Radars (GPR) with high enough frequency and resolution to see
the annual layer.
Geological Survey of Canada GPR, 13GHz
University of Oslo / NPI GPR, 800MHz and/or 500MHz
UCL snow radar
University of Edinburgh VHB radar, centre frequency 10GHz bandwidth, 16GHz, located in Alert, to
be used in Greenland Interior if it can be transferred in time.
Figure 3.16 Sledge-mounted GPR (Austfonna, University of Oslo)
Figure 3.17 Snow depth derived from a sledge-mounted 800MHz GPR, Austfonna, 2007
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Figure 3.18 UCL snow radar
Figure 3.19 University of Edinburgh VHB radar
3.5.2. EM
The EM31 is a commercially available ground conductivity meter which can be used to rapidly and
accurately measure the total (snow plus ice) thickness of sea ice. It operates with a signal frequency of
9.8kHz and has transmitting and receiving coils spaced 3.66m apart, which can be operated in vertical
or horizontal dipole mode. Sea ice thickness measurements are usually performed in the horizontal
dipole mode (HDM), and ice thickness results from a simple, logarithmic relationship with the
measured apparent conductivity, which can be applied once the conductivity of the seawater is known.
The EM31 can be mounted on a sled (see #) and can obtain continuous measurements while moving.
During all CryoVEx sea ice validation activities, EM31s will be used to provide upscaling from spase
drill-hole measurements to larger spatial scales obtained by airborne measurements, where the drillhole measurements will be used for calibration. This procedure will provide more representative data
on the ice thickness distribution of a certain floe than could be obtained by drill-hole measurements
alone, and is therefore ideal for comparison with the airborne surveys. Snow thickness data will be
obtained at each measurement location using a snow stake.
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Figure 3.20 Typical set-up for ground-based EM ice thickness surveys
showing an EM31 mounted on a pulka sled and a coincident measurement of snow thickness using a
snow stake
A Geonics EM31 owned by NPI will be used on ice stations during the RV Lance cruise. Further
instruments owned by FMI and the University of Alberta will be used during the campaign.
3.5.3. Neutron probe
An ice auger is used to create a 10m access hole and the neutron density probe is raised slowly from
the base of the hole recording the density profile as it progresses.
3.5.4. DGPS
Height measurement accuracy is expected to be better than 5cm using kinematic GPS and with post
processing of measurements from fixed point and roving GPS.
There is a requirement for DGPS observation of the corner reflector sites to be used for postprocessing of airborne data. Observations of corner reflectors should last at least 2hrs. The corner
reflector sites should also be positioned on site with an accuracy of approximately 5 m and the position
carefully relayed to the airborne teams.
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3.6. Deployment of resources
3.6.1. By site
Coffee-can
DGPS




 

 
Austfonna, Svalbard
 







  
OY-POF
Devon Island
 






   
OY-POF
Alert/Canadian Arctic
  

  ?
Fram Strait
  






Baltic Sea



Ship
AWS
Neutron probe
 
Laser scanner
Greenland interior
ASIRAS
EM
Corner reflectors
Aircraft
GPR
Roughness profiler
Ground-based equipment
CReSIS
Airborne sensors
EM Bird
Site

OY-POF
Twin Otter
C-130


 

OY-POF
Polar 5
Twin Otter






OY-POF
Polar 5
Helicopter
RV Lance






Helicopter
RV Aranda
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3.6.2. By time
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4. LAND ICE ACTIVITIES
4.1. Greenland interior
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
1268
Elizabeth Morris
Scott Polar Research Institute
1278
Peter Nienow
University of Edinburgh
4.1.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
1
2
3
The main objectives of the activity are:

to quantify errors in the retrieval of land ice elevation by the SIRAL instrument; and

to assess the extent to which elevation changes in the ice reflect actual changes in ice mass.
CryoVEx experiments in Spring and Autumn 2011 are an opportunity to:

provide ground truth for ASIRAS and SIRAL;

extend the accumulation record by 4 years (currently c.25 years);

investigate densification over short time scales.
In particular, the work will seek to assess the effect of short-term fluctuations in accumulation surface
density and compaction on the accuracy of satellite measurements of the long-term trend in ice sheet
elevation.
Furthermore, the waveform retracker will be improved and a backscatter model produced for the
percolation zone.
4.1.2. Overview of measurement activities
The validation activities are to take place along a transect across Greenland’s interior. Two ground
teams (UK1 and UK2) will be active on different parts of the ice sheet and for different periods.
The EGIG (l’Expedition Glacialogique Internationale au Groenland) Transect runs approximately
East-West across the central part of Greenland, along latitude 70°N, and covers a wide variety of snow
and ice regimes due to height variations along the transect (see Figure 4.1). It has been used for
glaciological research since the 1950s.
In 2011, existing radar and ground data will be extended across the percolation zone – dry snow zone
boundary, i.e. from T21 down to T12, collecting a full suite of complementary spring and autumn data
for the same year.
The transect from T21 to Summit will be covered in Spring and Autumn by UK1.Thus, pairs of
measurements separated in time will be obtained and the densification rate can be calculated.
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Figure 4.1 Plot of the EGIG Transect
4.1.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
OY-POF
ASIRAS, DTU Space laser scanner
OY-POF will conduct overflights at T21 on 26 and 27 April 2011.
Overflights will be made from a base in Ilulissat. On the second flight day, the aircraft will continue
across Greenland to Constable Point on the east coast.
4.1.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Ground-based equipment
GPS
Neutron probe
VHB radar
Corner reflector
UK1
The UK1 team (Morris) will move from Summit down to T21 via T41 (where a depot of food and fuel
will be laid).
At points along the transect, the following measurements will be made:

density profiles at sites along an ASIRAS flight line to link in with the airborne radar data;

density profiles over a range of densification conditions.
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Figure 4.2 Intensive observation site with corner reflector in background (left)
UK2
The UK2 team (Nienow) will be uplifted to T21 in time for the OY-POF overflights. After exchanging
equipment with UK1, they will travel towards T12 and then move up to Summit via T41 (where a
depot of food and fuel will be laid).
At points along the transect, the following measurements will be made:

snow pits/cores (see Appendix 2);

VHB radar profiles.
On the transect between T21 and T12, surveys will be made at approximately 10km intervals, ensuring
intersection with CryoSat-2 ground tracks.
4.1.5. Satellite data
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Mode
Track
Date
4.1.6. Provisional schedules
20 April 2011
Ferry UK1 and density profiling equipment to Summit by C-130,
Lay food and fuel depot for UK1 at T41 and
Ferry UK2 and VHB radar to T21 by Twin Otter
22 April 2011
UK1 leave from Summit with density profiling equipment
26 & 27 April 2011
Overflights of OY-POF with ASIRAS at T21
6 May 2011
UK1 joins UK2 at T21; equipment exchange
UK2 (Santiago de la Peña) with VHB radar proceed to T12
6-9 May 2011
Lay depots at T41 and T21 and
Ferry UK1 from T21 by Twin Otter (OY-POF?)
15 May 2011
UK2 proceed to Summit with radar
24 May 2011
Ferry UK2 from Summit by C-130
Note that a travelling party cannot carry both the density profiling equipment and the VHB radar.
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Travelling parties must be resupplied (petrol, food and cooking fuel) every ~200 km at depots laid in
advance.
4.1.7. Participants
As in previous years, Liz Morris and Pete Nienow will continue to be involved.
Name
Institution
Morris, Liz
SPRI
Nienow, Pete
University of Edinburgh
de la Peña, Santiago
University of Edinburgh
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4.2. Austfonna, Svalbard
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
1277
Jon Ove Hagen
Jack Kohler
University of Oslo
Norwegian Polar Institute
4.2.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
1
2
3
Of the three established Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) fieldwork sites in Svalbard, Austfonna
(centred at 79.5°N, 25°E; elevation 0-800m a.s.l.) is the largest (8,200km2) and most suitable for
CryoSat-2 validation activities.
The overall objective of the activity is to measure spatial variations in near-surface density, snow pack
layering and snowfall fluctuations over the ice cap. The validation exercise will characterise retrieval
errors due to:

temporal changes in snow surface caused by densification and snowfall;

complex topography that potentially affects the recovered elevation when the sensor is in
interferometric mode.
CryoSat-2 data will be validated by obtaining accurate ground-based measurements of snowpack
properties relevant to electromagnetic scattering and monitoring elevation changes due to snowfall
fluctuations and snow/firn densification processes.
The priorities for activities in 2011 are:
1) to assess the accuracy of surface elevations derived from CryoSat-2 L2 data;
2) to assess the extent to which elevation changes in the ice reflect actual changes in ice mass;
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3) to assess the potential for CryoSat-2 data to be used for mapping snow accumulation over ice caps;
4) to relate CryoSat-2 waveforms to surface and near-surface conditions on the ice cap.
Continued measurements are required to maintain long-term thickness change experiments that were
set up in 2004.
4.2.2. Overview of measurement activities
Measurements will be obtained along annual transects crossing Austfonna from west to east and from
north to south, and additionally along two CryoSat-2 ground tracks. A detailed measurement program
will also be carried out at the summit.
4.2.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
OY-POF
ASIRAS, DTU Space laser scanner
OY-POF will arrive on Svalbard on 28 April 2011 for overflights on 29 April. The aircraft is due to
leave Svalbard on 2 May 2011.
4.2.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Ground-based equipment
Corner reflectors
Neutron probe (UK)
DGPS
GPR (800MHz)
Automatic Weather Station (AWS)
Thermistor strings
Ablation stakes
In Spring 2011, GPS-profiles will be surveyed along the ground tracks of CryoSat-2 orbits 472 and
797 (see Figure 4.3). Ground-based radar (800MHz) will be used to measure snow thickness and facies
data.
Density data will be derived from snow pits (see Appendix 2). If it is feasible to borrow (and transport)
a spare neutron probe from the UK (located in Greenland in October 2010), this will be used to
provide extra measurements.
Surface roughness may also be measured.
Measurement Technique
Properties to be Measured
Static and kinematic DGPS
Surface elevation validation, large scale surface roughness
500Mhz GPR along validation transects
Snow thickness distribution, Density layer variation
Snow pits to previous summer surface, digital
photography
Accumulation and near surface density validation, Snow
density, grain size , grain type, layer identification,
Stakes along profiles
Surface Mass balance (Summer, Winter, and net)
Corner reflectors
ASIRAS and CryoSat-2 elevation calibration
Automatic weather station (AWS)
Snow depth, solar radiation, wind speed, air temperature
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Temperature loggers
Surface temperature/lapse rates
4.2.5. Satellite data
Transects across the ice cap will follow the intersecting ground tracks of two CryoSat-2 overpasses, for
which data will be acquired (see Figure 4.3).
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Mode
Track
Date
472
797
Figure 4.3 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over Austfonna Ice Cap and annual GPS/GPR survey lines
(red)
4.2.6. Provisional schedules
Field work will take place during a period of at least 3 weeks, beginning at the end of April (earliest 26
April 2011).
4.2.7. Participants
Name
Institution
Hagen, Jon Ove
University of Oslo
Eiken, Trond
University of Oslo
Schuler, Thomas
University of Oslo
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Ims, Torbjørn
University of Oslo
Tårand, Anna
NPI
Farsstrøm, Sanja
NPI
Gjerland, Audun
NPI
The ground team will have Iridium Satellite telephones, numbers:
+8816 4144 5009
+8816 4144 5010
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4.3. Devon Island
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
1257
Michael Demuth
David Burgess
Geological Survey of Canada
1290
Martin Sharp
University of Alberta
GREENLAND
Devon Island
4.3.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
1
2
3
The priorities for activities in 2011 are:
1) to assess the accuracy of surface elevations derived from CryoSat-2 L2 data;
2) to assess the potential for CryoSat-2 data to be used for mapping snow accumulation over ice caps
across the Queen Elizabeth Islands;
3) to relate CryoSat-2 waveforms to surface and near-surface conditions on the ice cap.
Continued measurements along the original CryoSat cal/val transect (ASIRAS Line 623) are required
to maintain long-term thickness change experiments that were set up in 2004.
4.3.2. Overview of measurement activities
Validation activities are concentrated on the Devon Ice Cap, which occupies the easternmost third of
Devon Island. Primary field sites are situated at approximate elevations of 1,800m (site 1, percolation
zone), 1,500m (site 2, firn zone), 1,200m (site 3, superimposed ice zone), and 650m (site 4, ablation
zone). The main base camp is situated at site 1 (Summit Camp, 75.33988°N, 82.67631°W). The four
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main study sites are located along the original North-South ASIRAS Line 623 validation transect/flight
track that was established in 2004. Additional flight tracks are to include the East-West ASIRAS Line
450 (established in 2006) and the CryoSat-2 orbit paths predicted for 20 April and 1 May 2011 (see
Figure 4.4).
For the verification of the ASIRAS signal along the Devon transect, accurate retrieval of Level 2
information, i.e. surface elevations and last summer surface (LSS), is required. In addition, end of
winter snow pack variability will be quantified along the transect, in terms of thickness, density and
mass.
GPR measurements are planned at the time of overflights.
-140O -120O -100O -80O -60O
85O
N
85O
W
Arctic Ocean
Ellesmere
Island
80O
80O
April 20, 2011 CryoSat-2
Predicted Orbit Path
E
S
Greenland
75O
70O
Devon Island
*
75O
Devon
Ice
Cap
70O
O
O
-120O -100O -80O -60O
65-140
ASIRAS Line 623
65O
Site 1 (1,800m)
Summit Camp
ASIRAS Line 450
Site 2 (1,400m)
Site3 (1,000m)
May 1, 2011 CryoSat-2
Predicted Orbit Path
Site 4 (650m)
Figure 4.4 Location of sites on the Devon Ice Cap
Note that there is an offset between the main transect (ASIRAS Line 623, based on reference orbit
Track 12 of the original CryoSat mission) and CryoSat-2 ground tracks: since the main transect is well
established with some permanent equipment, it cannot be moved and the closest CryoSat-2 overpasses,
in time and space, during the period of the campaign, have been selected as a best compromise (see
Figure 4.6). The 1 May overpass intersects the main transect close to site 1; the 20 April overpass is
offset to the west of the main transect. Measurements that use portable equipment can be made along
the CryoSat-2 ground tracks; however, those using permanently installed instruments will necessarily
be made in their usual positions.
4.3.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
OY-POF
ASIRAS, DTU Space laser scanner
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OY-POF will overfly Devon Island from a base at Thule. Overfights are scheduled for 4 May 2011,
with a spare day in the flight schedule on 5 May.
In addition to the original CryoSat-2 transect (ASIRAS Line 623), an east-west line (ASIRAS Line
450) plus the 20 April and 1 May 2011 CryoSat-2 orbit paths will be flown.
Good communications between aircraft and ground crew are essential.
4.3.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Ground-based equipment
Corner reflectors
Static and kinematic DGPS
1GHz and 500Mhz GPR
Coffee cans
Ku-band Scatterometer
Automatic weather station (AWS)
HOBO temperature loggers
A set of 3 corner reflectors will be located near site 1, at the intersection of the main transect and
ASIRAS Line 450.
Centre Corner Reflector
Latitude
Longitude
75.33809
-82.67739
Figure 4.5 Sun halo over Summit Camp, Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut
Measurement Technique
Properties to be Measured
Static and kinematic DGPS
Surface elevation validation, large scale surface roughness
1GHz and 500Mhz GPR along validation
transect(s)
Density layer variation; also calibrates dielectric modelling
Ku-band scatterometer
Dielectric properties of the near surface firn
Coffee cans (Site 1) (see Appendix 2)
Densification process at different levels of the snowpack
Snow trenches to previous summer surface
and up to 20m in length
Accumulation and near surface density validation
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Digital (visible and IR) photography of snow
pits and trenches
Snow density, grain size , grain type, layer identification
Ice cores of 3m depth:
Bulk density and electromagnetic
measurements
Visual stratigraphy and density profiles
Stakes in nested arrays and along profiles
Surface Mass balance (Summer, Winter, and net)
Corner reflectors
ASIRAS and CryoSat-2 elevation calibration
Automatic weather station (AWS)
Snow depth, solar radiation, wind speed, air temperature
HOBO temperature loggers
Surface temperature/lapse rates
To address priority 1, static GPS (with an accuracy of ±2cm in z) will be used for measurements at
1km intervals along transects, and to locate the summit corner reflector. Kinematic GPS (with an
accuracy of ~±5cm in z) will be used along the entire length (50km) of the main transect and, at each
of the 4 main study sites, in a 50m grid pattern over several areas slightly larger than the CryoSat-2
footprint (300×1000m).
To address priority 2, the team will make use of shallow cores (1-5m), snow pits (see Appendix 2) or
snow depth measurements (with a probe), GPR (500MHz and 1GHz), infrared photography (to
determine grain size, precise layer identification) and a Ku-band scatterometer (and/or FMCW).
Work on priority 3 requires knowledge of temporal and spatial variability in accumulation and
meteorological conditions on the ice cap and how these will affect surface heights retrieved from
CryoSat-2 data. To address this, the team will make use of automatic weather stations measuring snow
depth, temperature, etc. (9 in total on Devon Island; 3 along the main transect), shallow cores (1-5m),
snow pits or snow depth measurements (with a probe), GPR (500MHz and 1GHz), infrared
photography (to determine grain size, precise layer identification) and a Ku-band scatterometer (and/or
FMCW). Some validation measurements will be made along the northern extension of the transect
(where maximum ASIRAS power returns were obtained in previous experiments).
4.3.5. Satellite data
A CryoSat-2 overpasses on 20 April and 1 May 2011 have been selected for use in the campaign (see
Figure 4.6). The coordinates of the ground tracks are derived from ESA’s predicted orbit file: since
these become more accurate closer to the actual date of the overpass, they will be updated at the end of
March 2011.
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Figure 4.6 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, 4 April-25 May 2011
Satellite acquisitions from RADARSAT-2 (Fine Beam) and TerraSar-X (Tandem) have been requested
for the approximate period of the CryoSat-2 and ASIRAS overflights. Spatial coverage of the auxiliary
satellite data will include all three transects: ASIRAS Line 623 (original validation transect) and the 20
April and 1 May CryoSat-2 predicted orbit paths.
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Mode
Track
Date
20 April 2011
1 May 2011
RADARSAT-2
Fine Beam
early May 2011
TerraSAR-X
Tandem
early May 2011
4.3.6. Provisional schedules
15 April 2011
Uplift from Resolute onto Devon Ice Cap
4/5 May 2011
OY-POF Overflights with ASIRAS/Laser scanner
27 May 2011
Uplift from Devon to Resolute
4.3.7. Participants
Name
Institution
Demuth, Michael
Geological Survey of Canada
Burgess, Dave
Geological Survey of Canada
van Wychen, Wes
Geological Survey of Canada
de Jong, Tyler
University of Ottawa
Sharp, Martin
University of Alberta
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Danielson, Brad
University of Alberta
Tremaine, Terry
University of Alberta
Gascon, Gabrielle
University of Alberta
Geai, Marie-Laure
University of Alberta
The ground team will have Iridium Satellite telephones; phone numbers will be relayed to the flight
crew when available.
Contact at Resolute Bay – Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP):
Mike Kristjanson, tel: 867 252 3872
HF: SSB 4472.5 kHz Call Sign ‘26Resolute’
VHF: AM Airband 122.90 MHz (122.10 standby)
High-level data analysis will be funded by CSA through a PhD or equivalent in radar remote sensing,
beginning by 1 April 1 2011 at the latest.
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5. SEA ICE ACTIVITIES
5.1. Alert/Canadian Arctic
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
1241
Christian Haas
University of Alberta
5.1.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
5
6
7
8
The objective of the activity is to address the following uncertainties:

ice thickness distribution / surface roughness;

error covariance;

isostasy;

snow penetration;

preferential sampling.
The Canadian Arctic Sea Ice Mass Balance Observatory (CASIMBO) is a long-term measurement
programme carried forward by the University of Alberta in continuation of earlier activities in the
framework of the European/ESA Greenice and CryoVEx projects. It involves systematic, large-scale
in-situ and airborne snow and ice measurements which will provide important input for CryoSat-2
validation.
CryoVEx activities address the different components of the sea ice thickness profile, i.e. ice thickness,
snow thickness, ice freeboard, and snow surface elevation, which are sensed differently by the
different sensors. EM sounding is the only method that obtains direct ice thickness estimates, and
therefore is essential for the validation of CryoSat-2 thickness retrievals, which are derived from
freeboard measurements and assumptions of the isostatic balance, for which the densities of snow and
ice need to be known. However, obtained thicknesses represent total sea ice thickness, i.e. ice plus
snow thickness. Therefore, differences between EM and CryoSat-2 thickness retrievals are expected
and will be resolved by additional snow thickness measurements using the combination of airborne
laser and radar altimetry, ground penetrating radar, and in-situ snow thickness profiling.
ASIRAS will be used to validate CryoSat-2 freeboard measurements, and to address questions about
the origin of the radar returns, which may result from a scattering level above the snow-ice interface.
Analysis of ASIRAS/ALS/EM co-variance will provide information on penetration and, if differences
are observed, can also point to density differences or errors in the ASIRAS retracking or datation.
Corner reflectors are a key tool, both as a vertical reference and also to identify datation errors. It is
essential that in-situ data is collected carefully in their vicinity to properly relate corner reflector return
waveforms to the properties of the surrounding snow.
5.1.2. Overview of measurement activities
A number of validation sites will be established along a suitable CryoSat-2 ground track across various
multiyear and first-year ice regimes with strong regional thickness gradients. These sites will be
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equipped with corner reflectors and paired GPS beacons. Their exact location will be determined by
available opportunities to safely land a Twin Otter aircraft, but should be within ~1km of the satellite
ground track if possible. In any case, selected sites should be representative of ice conditions at the
closest point on the ground track and in the wider region and cover a range of sea ice thicknesses
(including multi- and first-year ice).
Over a 7-day period, the validation sites will be revisited by ground teams to conduct intensive in-situ
measurements of snow and ice properties coincident with aircraft overflights (and at some point the
CryoSat-2 overpass). Measurements should be made only in temperatures much lower than -10°C.
Permission is required to conduct research in Nunavut Territory: this will be obtained by the
University of Alberta and Environment Canada.
5.1.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
Polar 5
EM Bird, ALS, nadir video & photography
OY-POF
ASIRAS, DTU Space laser scanner
Kenn Borek Twin Otter
(field teams and ground-based equipment)
OY-POF will be present in Alert from 13 to 19 April 2011.
‘Polar 5’ will be present in Alert from 10 to 19 April 2011 and will conduct 6-10 measurement flights.
The ‘Polar 5’ aircraft carrying an EM Bird and an Airborne Laser Scanner will make flights over the
sea ice directly from Alert. Possibilities of using NP38, a Russian drifting station in the Arctic Ocean
north-north-west of Alert, as a staging post for refuelling (see Figure 5.1) will be examined; however,
this depends on the exact location of the station at the time of the campaign (likely to be out of range
given the deployment position of 76°N 177°W in October 2010 and typical ice drift speeds) and
whether it is serviceable (i.e. ice landing strip in a safe condition). A transfer flight to NP38 could be
conducted from Sachs Harbour on Banks Island, earlier in ‘Polar 5’’s Spring 2011 schedule, if this was
more appropriate.
Flight operations will be planned according to the following priorities:
1. 2-3 simultaneous flights of ‘Polar 5’ and OY-POF, coincident with CryoSat-2 overpasses;
2. short local flights around Alert.
Deviations of ≤1km will be made from the CryoSat-2 track to fly directly over validation sites, where
these are offset due to ground team landing requirements.
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Figure 5.1 Proposed ‘Polar 5’ flight lines from Alert
covering the strong thickness gradients across different ice regimes between Canada and the North
Pole; flight lines will be adjusted to match CryoSat overpasses; background shows example of
Ku-band backscatter observed by QuikScat in April 2009 (red: high, multiyear ice; green/blue: low,
first-year ice)
5.1.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Ground-based equipment
Corner reflectors
GPS beacons
Snow radar
Ground EM
Rotating laser
Thermistor string
Snow depth measurer
Snow density kit
Drilling equipment
A ground team of six people will fly in the Kenn Borek Twin Otter to validation sites previously
identified and marked with corner reflectors and paired GPS beacons. The following measurements
will be made at each site, time permitting:
Line survey
- 10m intervals
snow depth
snow density (if practical)
air/snow/ice temperature
ground EM
snow freeboard measured by rotating laser
Line survey
- 100m intervals
snow radar survey (depends on ease of pulling it along the
line)
snow pits (see Appendix 2)
drill holes (ice thickness/freeboard/draft)
Lead survey
freeboard measurements next to leads
Grid survey
snow depth at each grid point
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-15×15m around corner reflector (i.e. ASIRAS
across track footprint*), ½-1m spacing
(depending on time)
~5 snow pits at selected locations in grid
snow radar surveys at snow pits
rotating laser measurements over grid area
thermistor string
*N.B. This assumes that ASIRAS overflies the corner reflector; the aircraft GPS and the buoy GPS need to be cross-calibrated so that the
area closest to the corner reflector, sampled by ASIRAS, can be surveyed.
Figure 5.2 In-situ ice and snow thickness / properties measurement
5.1.5. Satellite data
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Envisat
ASAR
Mode
Track
Date
WSM
AP HH/HV
5.1.6. Provisional schedules
Aircraft operations from Alert are constrained to the period 10-19 April, for which special permission
has been obtained to access the airfield during the annual Operation Boxtop.
On each visit to a validation site, in situ measurements will follow a fixed routine, commencing after
the associated ASIRAS overflight. For a team of six scientists, this will be as follows:
Hour
1
Grid Survey
Line Survey Left
4 pax set up grid
2 pax set up line one
side of CR, tape for
500m, flags every
100m (carry EM and
snow depth measurer)
1 pax rotating laser
2
1 pax snow depth (help
with snow radar when
finished)
2 pax snow radar and
snow pits
2 pax walk back to CR,
measuring SD and EM
every 10m
Line Survey Right
Other
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3
1-2 pax finish snow pits
2-3 pax snow radar
every 100m
1-2 pax snow pits/bulk
density/temperature/
drilling
4
2 pax set up line other
side of CR, tape for
500m, flags every
100m (carry EM and
snow depth measurer)
2 pax walk back to CR,
measuring SD and EM
every 10m
2-3 pax snow radar
every 100m
4-5 pax snow pits/bulk
density/temperature/
drilling
5
5.1.7. Participants
Name
Institution
Haas, Christian
University of Alberta
Laxon, Seymour
University College London
Giles, Katherine
University College London
Hendricks, Stefan
AWI
Beckers, Justin
University of Alberta
1-2 pax on lead survey,
collecting equipment
etc.
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5.2. Fram Strait
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
4513
Sebastian Gerland
Norwegian Polar Institute
5.2.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
5
6
7
8
In this activity, CryoSat-2 ice thickness data will be compared to the long-term measurement of ice
draft. Long-term measurement of snow and ice conditions will allow temporal changes in radar
scattering to be examined. Measurement during intensive field campaigns will focus on the
determination of sub-footprint scale variability of thickness and direct comparison of laser,
electromagnetic (EM) and in situ data with respect to CryoSat-2 data.
The main goals of the activity are:

contributions to sea ice thickness cal/val with in situ measurements over both multi-year ice and
seasonal ice;

quantification of the role of snow and ice properties (spring and autumn);

assessment of regional spatial gradients, and inter-annual variability versus trends.
The work proposed is organised under several projects: EU Damocles, NFR IPY iAOOS Norway,
Norwegian-Russian collaboration on sea ice drifting stations, NPI long-term fast ice monitoring
Kongsfjorden (Svalbard) and NPI long-term multiyear sea ice monitoring Fram Strait.
5.2.2. Overview of measurement activities
The main research area for the activity is north and northwest of Svalbard (‘Fram Strait’ is perhaps a
misnomer, derived from earlier versions of the CryoSat Validation Plan). Central to the sea ice physics
work are two long ice drifting stations. The continuous observations on those stations will be
supplemented by short ice stations/helicopter stations to extend the datasets temporally and spatially. A
key issue for sea ice physics is to observe changes on multiyear ice with high temporal resolution over
a longer time period than is possible during conventional ship expedition ice stations of less than 1-day
duration.
The most relevant experiments contributing to CryoVEx 2011 are:

detailed in situ snow properties surveys (especially snow density and snow thickness);

detailed sea ice thickness surveys.
From 26 April to 16 May 2011, the RV Lance will conduct an interdisciplinary cruise north of
Svalbard to make transect(s) across the marginal ice zone and the ice shelf edge and conduct ice
stations.
Ice thickness surveys will be conducted along CryoSat-2 orbit lines over different ice types (FYI,
MYI, refrozen leads) using a HEM Bird and a ground-based EM instrument. Note that transects must
be of sufficient length for comparison with CryoSat-2 data; alternatively, an area 3×30km could be
characterised over a prolonged time period (~1 month).
OY-POF and ‘Polar 5’ will perform longer overflights during their respective tours of the Arctic.
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A tethered AUV could be deployed from the ship at ice stations.
In a collaboration between NPI and the University of Tromsø, high resolution SAR satellite calibration
and validation studies will also be undertaken.
Figure 5.3 Location of CryoVEx 2011 activities in the Fram Strait
5.2.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
Helicopter
EM Bird
OY-POF
ASIRAS, DTU Space laser scanner
Polar 5
EM Bird, ALS, nadir video & photography
OY-POF will rendezvous with RV Lance from Svalbard on 30 April 2011 and conduct overflights
along CryoSat-2 ground tracks.
‘Polar 5’ will be operating from Longyearbyen from 29 April to 4 May 2011 and will conduct 4-6
measurement flights during this period.
Ice thickness surveys with EM from a ship-based helicopter are planned along CryoSat-2 ground
tracks.
5.2.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Drifting ice stations
EM31
GPS
RV Lance
IceCam
AUV
Ice stations will be conducted, with in situ work carried out in parallel with airborne measurements.
The following measurements are planned.
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
Snow and ice density: Snow and ice density are highly relevant for the determination of the
hydrostatic stage of the ice floe. Densities will be measured daily in snow pits (see Appendix 2) and
from ice cores. Hourly snow density will be measured in high temporal resolution experiments.
Snow densities are measured in snow pits with a half-litre tube and a spring balance. Ice density is
measured daily by weighing 7cm core pieces.

Snow and ice thickness: These data will be collected along lines with classic methods (drilling, stake
sounding and freeboard measurement) and with ground electromagnetics (EM31). For the long
drifting stations, a fixed grid pattern will be revisited daily. The grid will be ideally a 200×200m with
lines along the edges and two lines crossing through the centre. The entire grid will be measured with
EM and snow stakes every 5m, and some 10 drillings will be applied at selected level ice positions
with different thicknesses in order to calibrate the electromagnetics. Readings will be taken at long
stakes every 10m along a separate 50m line, from above and below (AUV/divers) at least twice
during the drift of a long station.

Ice observations: Regular ice observations from the ship’s bridge are planned every 3 hours, using
NPI’s ice observation scheme. Photographs will be taken in 3 directions (port, starboard, ahead). RV
Lance has an IceCam permanently installed.
Jari Haapala (FMI, see §5.3) could contribute to this activity by making detailed snow and ice density
measurements and providing an EM31 instrument and five beacons for tracking of ice motion.
5.2.5. Satellite data
Acquisition of high resolution SAR products from Radarsat and Envisat is anticipated under related
projects in which NPI is already involved. Some ice ground truth data will be made available in
exchange for these products, which will be used to extend local findings spatially around ice stations
and to quantify ice drift. Products from satellites with visible sensors (AVHRR, MODIS) will be used
for albedo parameterisation work ongoing at NPI.
In addition, Envisat ASAR WSM images in VV polarisation are required.
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Envisat
ASAR
Mode
Track
Date
WSM (VV)
Radarsat
5.2.6. Provisional schedules
From 26 April to 16 May 2011, the RV Lance will conduct an interdisciplinary cruise north of
Svalbard to make transect(s) across the marginal ice zone and the ice shelf edge.
Annual cruises to the Fram Strait in September are also planned for several years to come. Additional
cal/val experiments based on Svalbard could be arranged (at Kongsfjorden or Storfjorden) or linked to
the planned process studies and monitoring work.
5.2.7. Participants
Name
Institution
Gerland, Sebastian
NPI
Brandt, Ola
NPI
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Granskog, Mats
NPI
Goodwin, Harvey
NPI
Hansen, Edmond
NPI
Renner, Angelika
NPI
Tronstad, Stein
NPI
Haapala, Jari
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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5.3. Baltic Sea
Proposal ID
PI
Institution
1244
Jari Haapala
Finnish Meteorological Institute
5.3.1. Validation purpose
Error sources to be addressed
5
6
7
8
In this activity, CryoSat-2 ice thickness data will be compared to the long-term measurement of ice
draft. Long-term measurement of snow and ice conditions will allow temporal changes in radar
scattering to be examined. Measurement during intensive field campaigns will focus on the
determination of sub-footprint scale variability of thickness and direct comparison of laser,
electromagnetic (EM) and in situ data with respect to CryoSat-2 data.
The objectives of the activity are:

to validate CryoSat-2-derived elevation along satellite swaths;

to determine the effect of seasonal variation of snow/ice on the radar echo;

to relate waveforms to sub-footprint scale ice thickness variability;

to relate waveforms to ice types;

to develop an advanced sea-ice thickness retrieval algorithm.
5.3.2. Overview of measurement activities
Work will be carried out in the context of the SafeWin field campaign during February and March
2011.Intensive field measurements will be undertaken in the Northeast sector of the Gulf of Bothnia
(Baltic Sea). The target region should include a mixture of ice types with different ages.
Measurements, some of which could be made along CryoSat-2 swaths, will include:

sea ice/snow field measurements (freeboard, thickness, density);

complementary observations (water level, other satellite-derived parameters);

seasonal ice/snow monitoring in the fast ice region.
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Two-week
drifting ice station
Long-term
monitoring station
Figure 5.4 Schematic of Baltic Sea experiment design
5.3.3. Airborne measurements
Platform
Instruments
Helicopter
EM Bird
The University of Alberta will conduct EM Bird measurements during the field campaign to determine
large-scale ice thickness. The EM Bird system also includes a laser altimeter for freeboard
measurements.
5.3.4. In situ measurements
Platform
Instruments
Ground-based equipment
Ice coring auger and other ice and snow physics
measurement instruments
Ridge drilling set
EM31
Rotating laser
Measurements will be made to determine the following:

snow thickness and density;

sea ice thickness, freeboard and density;

ridge properties (porosity, snow).
These measurements will be conducted as described in §5.1.4.
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5.3.5. Satellite data
Figure 5.5 Predicted CryoSat-2 orbits over the Bay of Bothnia
in January (green), February (blue) and March (red) 2011
ASAR images will be acquired to determine large scale sea ice characteristics.
Satellite
Instrument
CryoSat-2
SIRAL
Envisat
ASAR
Mode
Track
Date
5.3.6. Provisional schedules
Ice and snow monitoring operations will extend from December 2009 to May 2012. Work will be
carried out in the context of the SafeWin field campaign during February and March 2011.
5.3.7. Participants
Name
Institution
Haapala, Jari
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Heiler, István
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Lensu, Mikko
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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6. CRYOSAT-2 DATA ACCESS
6.1. CroSat-2 products
SIRAL Data Product
Main Characteristics
Data Volume
L1b Full Bit Rate (FBR)
Time-ordered, raw data consisting of complex individual
echoes prior to the application of synthetic aperture,
interferometric or accumulation processing.
50 Gbytes/day
Multi-looked echoes.
L1b Multi looked
Wave Form data
Waveform power data are averaged. SARIn data contains
multi-looked phase.
2.5 Gbytes/day
Full engineering and geophysical corrections applied.
Level 2 GDR
Level 2 FDM
Consolidated products on orbit basis (GDR) containing
LRM, SAR and SARIn.
These are time-ordered elevation values (of ice, ocean or
land) and, in the case of sea ice, ice thickness.
Fast Delivery Ocean for oceanographic and meteorologist
use.
60 Mbytes/day
35 Mbytes/day
Table 6.1 Overview of CryoSat-2 products
6.2. Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS)
The Payload Data Segment (PDS) will be located in Kiruna Salmijärvi. The PDS is in charge of
science data ingestion from the FOS acquisition system and of level 0 and higher level products
generation, archiving and distribution. Distribution activities comprise automatic distribution,
systematic distribution and special distribution commands.
The Long-term Archiving (LTA) will be located in Toulouse (CNES). The LTA is in charge of
archiving all the CryoSat-2 data, received from the PDS and locally generated through re-processing,
for up to 10 years after the start of routine operations, and to generate corresponding metadata and
forward it to the Master Catalogue. It also allows on-request distribution of archived high level
products to users.
The User Services (including MURM) will be located in ESRIN. The User Services allow users to
access and visualise information on the CryoSat-2 archived products through a catalogue function. The
MURM’s main role is collecting and managing all the requirements for CryoSat-2 data acquisition and
dissemination and presenting them in a Gantt chart or as a projection on a geographical map, the
various timelines corresponding to satellite or ground segment activity.
6.3. Data access for cal/val users
Cal/val users will have access to FBR data, other L1b data, L2 data and auxiliary data. Registration is
via submission of a proposal to the EOPI Portal, which also serves as the principal point of contact
between ESA and users throughout the course of the project (including regular report submission).
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Following acceptance of a proposal, users will be automatically registered with User Services and the
PDS, allowing automatic data delivery and the possibility to make specific data requests using the
EOLi-SA catalogue browser.
Figure 6.1 Data distribution mechanisms for CryoSat-2 cal/val users
Figure 6.2 Screenshot of the EOLi-SA catalogue browser
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6.4. CUT
The CryoSat User Tool (CUT) will enable visualisation of CryoSat-2 products on a world map and
interrogation of product headers. It will also calculate and plot the footprint of CryoSat-2 products, for
planning or data ordering purposes.
The software also acts as an FTP client for accessing CryoSat products on remote servers.
The software will be available from Earthnet Online (earth.esa.int).
Figure 6.3 CUT interface
6.5. Timescale
Data will be distributed to cal/val users 2-3 months after satellite launch, once SC/GS verification is
completed. Level 2 products will be verified but not fully validated.
During the Science Phase, requested products will be distributed to cal/val users in near-real time
(NRT) using on-board orbit localisation. When precise orbit data is available (after 30 days), routine
processing will take place at the PDS and products will be distributed to all users. New processing
algorithms will be developed after approximately 2 years so that the entire archive can be reprocessed
in the LTA and made available to all users.
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7. CONTACTS
7.1. PIs
Name
Institution
email
Burgess, Dave
Geological Survey of Canada
david.burgess@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Demuth, Michael
Geological Survey of Canada
mdemuth@nrcan.gc.ca
Gerland, Sebastian
NPI
gerland@npolar.no
Haapala, Jari
Finnish Meteorological Institute
jari.haapala@fmi.fi
Haas, Christian
University of Alberta
christian.haas@ualberta.ca
Hagen, Jon Ove
University of Oslo
j.o.m.hagen@geo.uio.no
Kohler, Jack
NPI
jack.kohler@npolar.no
Morris, Liz
SPRI
emm36@cam.ac.uk
Nienow, Pete
University of Glasgow
pnienow@geo.ed.ac.uk
Sharp, Martin
University of Alberta
martin.sharp@ualberta.ca
7.2. Aircraft operators
Name
Institution
email
Forsberg, Rene
DTU Space
rf@space.dtu.dk
Hendricks, Stefan
AWI
stefan.hendricks@awi.de
Name
Institution
email
Beckers, Justin
University of Alberta
Brandt, Ola
NPI
Danielson, Brad
University of Alberta
de Jong, Tyler
University of Ottawa
de la Peña, Santiago
University of Edinburgh
Doble, Martin
Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de
Villefranche
Eiken, Trond
University of Oslo
Farsstrøm, Sanja
NPI
Gascon, Gabrielle
University of Alberta
Geai, Marie-Laure
University of Alberta
Giles, Katherine
University College London
Gjerland, Audun
NPI
Goodwin, Harvey
NPI
Granskog, Mats
NPI
7.3. Participants
trond.eiken@geo.uio.no
harvey.goodwin@npolar.no
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Name
Institution
email
Hansen, Edmond
NPI
edmond.hansen@npolar.no
Heiler, István
FMI
Helm, Veit
AWI
veit.helm@awi.de
Herber, Andreas
AWI
andreas.herber@awi.de
Ims, Torbjørn
University of Oslo
Krabill, William
NASA
william.b.krabill@nasa.gov
Laxon, Seymour
University College London
swl@cpom.ucl.ac.uk
Lensu, Mikko
Finnish Meteorological Institute
McAdoo, David
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Lab for Satellite
Altimetry
dave.mcadoo@noaa.gov
Renner, Angelika
NPI
angelika.renner@npolar.no
Skourup, Henriette
DTU Space
hsk@space.dtu.dk
Schuler, Thomas
University of Oslo
t.v.schuler@geo.uio.no
Steinhage, Daniel
AWI
daniel.steinhage@awi.de
Studinger, Michael
NASA
michael.studinger@nasa.gov
Tårand, Anna
NPI
Tremaine, Terry
University of Alberta
Tronstad, Stein
NPI
van Wychen, Wes
Geological Survey of Canada
Cullen, Rob
ESA-ESTEC
robert.cullen@esa.int
Francis, Richard
ESA-ESTEC
richard.francis@cryosat.esa.int
Parrinello, Tommaso
ESA-ESRIN
tommaso.parrinello@esa.int
Pearson, Tim
RSAC
tim@rsacl.co.uk
Wooding, Mike
RSAC
mikew@rsacl.co.uk
stein.tronstad@npolar.no
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Appendix 1
Co-located observations over sea ice
When obtaining co-located measurements over sea ice, the problem of sea ice drift, at rates of between
3 and 30cms-1 (i.e. up to 1km/h or 0.5 knots) must be addressed. The issue is that a straight flight track,
of a satellite or an aircraft, traces an oblique path across the sea ice surface if it moves in a non-parallel
direction below. For co-located observations from platforms moving at different speeds, use of
identical headings would result in swaths of data across the sea ice surface with different orientations.
Two alternative methods have been identified to ensure that airborne sensors and CryoSat-2
instruments observe the same swath of sea ice:

compute flight track headings as vectors that compensate for sea ice drift and the difference in
velocity between the aircraft and satellite (see Figure 7.1);

obtain a comprehensive set of observations, distributed in time and space, to be compared to spatially
and temporally averaged CryoSat-2 measurements.
The feasibility of the second alternative is not in doubt, but is more demanding of resources than the
first. The current baseline for the sea ice validation activities is therefore the first alternative; however,
for this approach to be successful a number of conditions must be fulfilled:
1. the sea ice velocity must be uniform and constant in the sampled region during the measurement
period;
2. the sea ice velocity must be predicted sufficiently in advance to compute flight tracks;
3. the starting point must lie on the CryoSat-2 ground track on the sea ice;
4. it must be logistically possible to plan flights and assemble the airborne platforms at the starting
point;
5. the airborne platforms must fly with the planned heading and speed.
CryoSat
track
resultant
path on
sea ice
surface
required
aircraft
heading
sea ice drift
Figure 7.1 Effect of sea ice drift on acquisition of co-located observations
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Appendix 2
Ground-based measurement methodologies
1. Snow pits
Snow pack measurements should be undertaken in snow pits dug to at least 1m deep or down to the
previous year’s layer. Snow layering in the snow pit walls should be mapped and samples taken to
determine snow density, grain size and temperature. Samples should also be taken for chemical
analysis to identify the presence of salts which might affect the dielectric properties of the surface.
The protocol for snow pit measurements is as follows:
1. The snow pit should be orientated so that the snow facies to be analysed is on the pit wall facing
north (i.e. on the south side of the snow pit, to avoid direct illumination by the sun).
2. The pit should be dug at least to the firn layer (ie. snow surviving from the end of the previous
‘mass-balance year’) or to a depth of 1m – whichever is greater. The ‘pit face’ should be at least 1m
across.
3. The ‘pit face’ must be cleaned (flattened) with a shovel (or snow saw) and then brushed using a
brush with plastic bristles (a normal brush is ok if no water chemistry analyses will be performed)
to reveal the individual stratigraphic layers.
4. The depth within the snow pack of each snow layer, and its thickness, should be measured using a
tape measure or ruler at the mid-point of the ‘pit face’.
5. Each layer should then be tested for the following:
Crystal size/structure: a few snow crystals are sprinkled onto a water-proofed sheet of millimetrescale graph paper and observed through a ×10 hand lens. The mean crystal size and type are
recorded (LaChapelle’s “Field Guide to Snow Crystals” (1992), available from IGS, Cambridge is
very good).
Density: using a tube of known length and diameter, a horizontal core of snow is withdrawn from
each layer (avoiding compaction of the snow during the extraction) and weighed in a bag of known
weight (either by spring balance or with another form of scale). The density is computed from the
values of snow mass and volume. Larger tubes clearly provide a better average of the snow density;
however, small tubes are necessary for measuring thin snow layers.
Hardness: the hardness of each layer should be tested by hand. The standard procedure is to gently
push the following objects (in order) into each snow facies with a penetration force of about 50N
and record when the snow layer fails (i.e. when an impression is made on the snow surface).1
1
-
Clenched fist
-
4 fingers
-
1 finger
-
Pen (i.e. ~0.5cm diameter)
-
Knife
ICSI International Snow Classification Manual,
http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/techpub/CRREL_Reports/reports/Seasonal_Snow.pdf
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Other observations: evidence of any dirt layers (windblown dust) or other distinctive physical
characteristics should be recorded. In particular, the presence of ice lenses across the pit face should
be noted and their total area relative to the snow face estimated. If there is any free water present in
the snow pack (e.g. moist/saturated), this should also be noted.
6. At the end of sampling, it is advisable to check that information on all layers has been recorded, and
particularly that the sum of layer thicknesses is equal to the total pit depth.
2. Coffee-can technique
The ‘coffee-can’ technique (Hamilton and Whillans, 2000) is used to make independent measurements
of surface elevation change. It involves determining the difference between the long-term mean mass
balance at each measurement site and the vertical velocity of markers embedded in the ice or firn. In
the accumulation area, the long-term mean accumulation rate will be determined using shallow ice
coring techniques. A 20m deep borehole is drilled and the density profile of the ice core measured. In
situ 137Cs gamma spectrometry will be used to detect the depth of the 1963 ‘bomb layer’ in the
borehole, allowing a mean accumulation rate since 1963 to be determined. This information will be
supplemented by conducting Neutron Probe density profiling in the same hole. The accumulation
velocity at each site is defined as the accumulation rate (Mgm-2a-1) divided by the density of the
firn/ice at the level of the marker (Mgm-3).
To determine the vertical ice velocity at each site, 4 additional boreholes, respectively 4m, 8m, 12m
and 16m deep, are drilled at each site. Density profiles are measured at each borehole. A steel marker
attached to a non-stretchable steel cable is heated at the surface and lowered to the base of each
borehole where it freezes into the ice. The upper end of the cable passes out through a section of pipe
installed in the top of each hole. The pipe keeps the cable clear of snow accumulation and acts as a
mount for a GPS antenna. With the cable under constant tension, the height of an annulus attached to
the cable is determined relative to the pipe top on each visit. This allows calculation of the vertical
velocity of the marker relative to the pipe top. The motion of the pipes is determined on each visit
using precision differential GPS techniques. From these GPS measurements, the component of vertical
velocity due to downslope flow can be determined (as the product of the horizontal velocity and the
slope in the direction of flow). The net rate of ice thickness change at each site is equal to the sum of
the accumulation velocity, the vertical velocity of the marker, and the downslope component of
vertical velocity. The technique is reliable as long as the slope of the best-fit line to a plot of marker
vertical velocity against the inverse of density for each site is approximately equal to the negative of
the inverse of the accumulation rate at the site (Hamilton and Whillans, 2000).
The 'coffee-can' technique described above provides a direct means of measuring rates of densification
at sites in the accumulation area, and their seasonal and inter-annual variability. If the vertical density
profile in each borehole and the vertical velocity of each marker are known, then the vertical ice flux at
the level of each marker can be calculated. The change in ice mass in the depth increment between
markers is defined by the vertical divergence of ice flux between measurements taken at times t1 and
t2. At t1, the mean density and mass of ice in a 1m2 column of ice separating 2 markers can be
calculated from the density profile. Assuming no horizontal divergence, the ice mass in the column at
t2 is equal to the sum of the mass at t1 and the change in mass over the measurement interval. If the two
markers have different vertical velocities, the volume of the ice column separating the 2 markers
changes over the measurement period. The mean density at t2 is then calculated as the mass of ice in
the column at t2 divided by the volume of the column at t2. The rate of densification is the change in
density divided by the period of measurement. The proposed experimental design provides some
insight into the magnitude of short-term fluctuations in the rate of densification.
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Figure 7.2 Typical coffee-can arrangement