Radar observations of Arctic ice

Abstract

To many observers, the Arctic is synonymous with snow and ice. For example, the Arctic Ocean spans just over 14 million km2 – an area larger than that of Europe – which is variably covered in frozen ocean water, or sea ice, throughout the year.1 The Arctic Ocean is almost completely surrounded by land, which can often be covered in snow, permafrost (frozen soil, rock or sediment) or land ice. Observing how different forms of ice in the Arctic are changing, and understanding how they have evolved in the past, is crucial. Radar technology provides us with a tool to do this and allows us to visualise the glacial environment beneath the ice surface. This chapter provides an overview of modern radar-based observation methods and describes how measurements from them have contributed to a scientific understanding of ice with an emphasis on Arcticness.