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Posts Tagged ‘ice mapping’

From Snow to Sand: The Benefits of Dual-Band IFSAR

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

The conference trail grows longer! At last post, we had just returned from the Alaska Surveying and Mapping Conference in Anchorage where GeoSAR Project Manager Steven Shaffer presented the applications of dual-band IFSAR in arctic and sub-arctic environments. Snow penetration/mapping was part of that discussion. This week we are switching gears—rather dramatically—to the Map Middle East Conference in Dubai where last week GeoSAR Client Program Manager Caroline Tyra presented a paper on the ability of radar to penetrate sand for subsurface mapping.

The overall concept isn’t exactly new. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology, which utilizes radar bands in the UHF/VHF frequencies from hand-held or vehicular-based equipment, is a well established technique. It’s the use of remote sensing platforms for subsurface mapping that is gaining ground (no pun intended!). Using satellite and airborne methods, it is possible to provide wide-area coverage of subsurface hydrology and structures for use in mineral exploration and development, infrastructure design, and archeological research.

So where is the science? In the early 1980s, the hyper-arid Bir Safsaf region in southwestern Egypt was mapped using Shutte Radar SIR-A and SIR-B to detect geologic structures covered by layers of sand. Discoveries from that research included fossil river systems. More recent studies have shown the ability of very low-frequency radar, such as P-band, to penetrate depths of 15 meters or more depending on soil composition, radar incidence angles, and soil moisture.

Fugro EarthData has confirmed these P-band findings using GeoSAR during a mission over the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base. Among other things, the results revealed a mostly submerged geological formation. Subsurface mapping is an area we’ll continue to research given its many implications related to water networks, national security, and heritage management. It’s also one more way that we can help clients maximize the value of their GeoSAR data—by unlocking what we call, “the Power of P”.

Want to continue the conversation? Leave a comment or send us an email at info@geosar.com.

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Posted in General, Innovation, Public outreach, Science | 1 Comment »

Monitoring the Loss of Arctic Sea Ice

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Iceberg

There’s a real-life drama playing out in the Arctic again this summer, and no, we aren’t talking about Deadliest Catch reruns on the Discovery Channel. Rather, we are referring to the drastic loss of summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. Recent findings from the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center show this year’s melting to be on par with the record setting levels of 2007. And while the full impact of these events is not yet known, the report further justifies the Arctic’s reputation as “ground zero” for climate change.

As users and providers of geospatial data, it will come as no surprise to you that remote sensing is playing a key role in these Arctic ice observations. Radar sensors are particularly well suited for such studies given the region’s temporal lack of daylight and persistent cloud cover. Acquiring data 24 hours a day and in a variety of weather conditions, radar-based imagery reveals roughness patterns in the ice that allows analysts to gauge both thickness and age.

The use of radar data for this purpose dates as far back as 1978 when NASA used its SEASAT system to monitor polar sea ice conditions. Fast forward three decades, and NASA’s innovation continues with an airborne mission this spring over Iceland and Greenland. This latest effort combined two radar bands in hopes of accurately measuring the speed, direction, and topographic height of ice caps whose sub-glacial topography has already been mapped. If successful, these data will provide researchers with better data from which to model glacial mechanics.

Fugro EarthData is also actively engaged in ice mapping research. With a science-based project scheduled for completion later this year, we aim to provide a sound basis for the use of the GeoSAR dual-band radar mapping for ice studies. If you know of other radar-based ice studies, let’s talk about them here…send us your thoughts and experiences.

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Posted in Climate change | 6 Comments »