Determination of the snow accumulation rate from satellite remote sensing by means of combining high resolution densitiy data and microwave images at low frequencies

绘制极地冰盖的质量变化图对于计算未来海平面的发展至关重要，需要了解冰盖表面的雪密度变化。最近对降雪内部密度变化的相关研究表明，积雪的累积速度、物理结构和卫星传感器的亮度温度之间存在联系。在拟议的项目中，对南极洲几个区域最近可用的高分辨率密度剖面进行的统计分析将导致确定微波发射对密度变化敏感的长度尺度。将不同长度尺度上的分层统计与累积率相关联，不仅可以将累积率与物理积雪特性联系起来，而且还可以从微波图像中确定累积率。在项目期间对实地考察获得的降雪岩芯进行检查，将能够系统地研究以前通过微波图像分析确定的雪类的特征分层特征。

Mapping the mass changes of the polar ice sheets is crucial for computing future sea level development and requires knowledge of snow density variations at the ice sheet’s surface. Recent correlation studies of density variations within the firn imply a connection between the accumulation rate, the physical structure of the firn and the brightness temperature by satellite sensors. Within the proposed project the statistical analysis of recently available high resolution density profiles from several regions of Antarctica will lead to the determination of length scales at which microwave emission is sensitive to density variations. Correlating the layering statistics at different length scales to accumulation rates may offer the possibility not only to link accumulation rates to physical firn properties, but to determine accumulation rates from microwave images. An examination of firn cores obtained from field expeditions during the project duration will allow the systematic study of characteristic layering features of snow classes, which have been previously defined by microwave image analysis.