Seasonal, Interannual, and Long-Term Elevation Change of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet from Satellite Radar Altimetry

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Early indications of climate change in the polar regions can be detected by monitoring the surface properties of the polar ice sheets. Time series of ice-sheet surface elevations from satellite radar altimeters can be used to study the mass balance of the ice sheets. Short-term changes in surface elevation are caused by seasonal and interannual variations in snow accumulation and melting, while longer-term elevation changes are linked to climate change and global sea levels. This proposal requests support to document long-term elevation change of the East Antarctic ice sheet using radar altimeter data from Seasat, Geosat, and Geosat-Follow On (GFO) satellites. As a direct consequence of this goal, it will also be necessary to quantify seasonal and interannual variations in ice-sheet elevation to place the long-term measurements in context. This work is a direct extension of similar work done on the Greenland ice sheet and will incorporate methods and techniques already proven to produce substantial improvement in measurement accuracy. This work will provide important baseline information that will significantly enhance the interpretation of measurements from NASA's Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) scheduled for launch in 2001.