Scattering properties of a stratified air/snow/sea ice medium. Small slope approximation

Publication date: Available online 10 August 2016 Source:Comptes Rendus Physique Author(s): Richard Dusséaux, Saddek Afifi, Monique Dechambre The sea-ice thickness, a key parameter in Arctic studies, is derived from radar altimeter height measurements of the freeboard, taking into account not only snow load, but also the penetration depth of the electromagnetic waves inside the snow—this is the not generally the case. Within the framework of the small slope approximation method, we study in Ku-band ( f = 13   GHz , λ = 2.31   cm in the air) the electromagnetic signature of an air/snow/sea ice rough layered medium. The snow is inhomogeneous and is represented as a stack of several layers with different relative permittivities. We show that the electromagnetic response is very sensitive to the isotropy factor of the air/snow interface and to the cross-correlation parameters of interfaces.

Source: Comptes Rendus Physique - August 10, 2016 Category: Physics Source Type: research