MRI: Development of a Long-range Airborne Snow and Sea Ice Thickness Observing System (LASSITOS)

大尺度海冰厚度的准确知识对于理解北极冰盖的当前和未来状态，以及对北极海洋环境的近期和长期预测至关重要。随着北极冰盖正经历着从常年冰到季节性冰的重大转变，冰的厚度——比冰的范围更重要——是描述冰-海洋系统状态和演变的一个关键变量。然而，在区域或盆地尺度上观测海冰厚度的方法缺乏足够的精度和分辨率来捕捉生长和融化过程，检测危害或评估栖息地质量。该项目将开发一种机载电磁（AEM）雪雷达系统，能够集成到远程无人机系统（UAS）中。这将使获取盆地尺度的冰厚和雪深数据成为北极观测网络的一部分，满足研究人员、当地社区和工业界的信息需求。这个核磁共振发展项目将有助于NSF的导航新北极大构想。AEM方法提供了一种测量极地地区海冰厚度的新方法。通过遥感冰盖上下表面的位置，AEM测量的精度通常优于总厚度的10%，对积雪或海面地形的不确定性的敏感性较低。远程机载雪和海冰厚度观测系统（LASSITOS）的开发和调试也将为教育和培训提供机会，包括阿拉斯加费尔班克斯大学航空工程新辅修课程的顶点项目和学生参与综合校准/验证现场活动。LASSITOS预计会引起来自阿拉斯加北部沿海村庄的当地学生的兴趣，他们代表了海冰信息的另一个关键利益相关者群体。这个项目的负责人是一位刚出道不久的研究人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Accurate knowledge of sea ice thickness over large scales is crucial for understanding the current and future states of the Arctic ice cover, and for near- and long-term predictions of Arctic marine environments. With the Arctic ice pack undergoing a major transition from perennial to seasonal ice, ice thickness - more so than ice extent - is a key variable describing the state and evolution of the ice-ocean system. However, methods of observing sea ice thickness at regional or basin scales with sufficient accuracy and resolution to capture growth and melt processes, detect hazards, or assess habitat quality are lacking. This project will develop an Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) snow radar system capable of being integrated into long-range Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). This will allow acquisition of basin-scale ice thickness and snow depth data as part of a network for Arctic observations that addresses information needs of researchers, local communities and industry. This MRI development project will contribute to NSF's Navigating the New Arctic Big Idea. AEM methods offer a novel means of measuring sea ice thickness over the full range of thicknesses found in the Polar Regions. By remotely sensing the positions of the upper and lower surfaces of the ice cover, AEM measurements typically achieve an accuracy of better than 10% of the total thickness, with less sensitivity to uncertainties in snow cover or sea surface topography. Development and commissioning of the Long-range Airborne Snow and Sea Ice Thickness Observing System (LASSITOS) will also provide opportunities for education and training, including capstone projects for the University of Alaska Fairbanks' new minor in aeronautical engineering and student involvement in comprehensive calibration/validation field activities. LASSITOS is expected to generate interest among native students from coastal villages in northern Alaska, who represent another key stakeholder group for sea ice information. The leader of this project is an early-career researcher.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.