Abstract

In this study, we setup a ground-based scatterometer using an antenna of which the center frequency is 9.5 GHz (X-band), and measured radar backscatterings from air/ice and ice/water interfaces to extract ice thickness. Both of air/ice and ice/water interfaces make strong radar backscatterings and so we can clearly identify two peaks in measured data by scatterometer. By using the distance of two peaks and refractive index of ice, we confirmed that it is possible to measure ice thickness. Field survey was performed at the downstream of Jiam River flowing into Chuncheon Lake. We measured radar backscattering from river ice along a survey path and extracted ice thickness. The ice thickness map of the downstream of Jiam River was produced by using kriging which is one of well known interpolation methods. The ice thickness was about 50 cm along the mainstream while ice was thin as 30 ~ 40 cm at a fast-flowing meander. Ice thickness was particularly thinner at some locations than that of surrounding areas even in the mainstream region of constant flow. This was because of impurities in ice or artificially formed refrozen holes after fishing. We expect that this study helps to expand utilization field of X-band SAR and airborne scatterometer system.

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