Abstract
In this paper we present for the first time the new digital elevation model (DEM) for Greenland produced by the TanDEM-X (TerraSAR add-on for digital elevation measurement) mission. The new, full coverage DEM of Greenland has a resolution of 0.4 arc seconds corresponding to 12 m. It is composed of more than 7.000 interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) DEM scenes. X-Band SAR penetrates the snow and ice pack by several meters depending on the structures within the snow, the acquisition parameters, and the dielectricity constant of the medium. Hence, the resulting SAR measurements do not represent the surface but the elevation of the mean phase center of the backscattered signal. Special adaptations on the nominal TanDEM-X DEM generation are conducted to maintain these characteristics and not to raise or even deform the DEM to surface reference data. For the block adjustment, only on the outer coastal regions ICESat (Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite) elevations as ground control points (GCPs) are used where mostly rock and surface scattering predominates. Comparisons with ICESat data and snow facies are performed. In the inner ice and snow pack, the final X-Band InSAR DEM of Greenland lies up to 10 m below the ICESat measurements. At the outer coastal regions it corresponds well with the GCPs. The resulting DEM is outstanding due to its resolution, accuracy and full coverage. It provides a high resolution dataset as basis for research on climate change in the arctic.
Highlights
Greenland is covered by the earth’s second largest ice sheet after Antarctica with an area of about 1.7 million km2 and volume of 2.85 million km3 (Tedesco et al, 2015)
In this paper we present the generation of a new digital elevation model of Greenland by using TanDEM-X interferometric SAR acquisitions with an unprecedented resolution of 12 m
In this paper we present a new DEM of Greenland, which is based on more than 3.5 years of TanDEM-X DEM acquisitions
Summary
Greenland is covered by the earth’s second largest ice sheet after Antarctica with an area of about 1.7 million km and volume of 2.85 million km (Tedesco et al, 2015). Five years later Bamber et al (2001a) produced a new DEM with an improved accuracy and resolution of 1 km, using the same altimetry satellites, but validated with airborne laser altimeter Based on this Bamber et al (2001b) published a new ice thickness and bed elevation dataset of Greenland (5 km resolution). The second DEM was derived from the altimeter on board of the CryoSat-2 satellite, and Helm et al (2014) presented the first elevation change map of Greenland between 2011 and 2014 Based on these DEMs different ice mass loss studies of Greenland were conducted The resulting DEM could improve current estimates of the Greenland ice sheet mass loss and could help to monitor spatial and temporal changes It is a high resolution dataset providing a basis for research on climate change in the arctic. Before starting with the adjustment two questions have to be clarified: a) to what surface shall the DEM be referenced and b) how or to which (selection of) GCPs shall this be realized?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
