Radar mapping of Isunnguata Sermia, Greenland
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Issue Date
2013-12-01Author
Jezek, Kenneth C.
Wu, X.
Paden, John D.
Leuschen, Carl J.
Publisher
International Glaciological Society
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Ice thickness estimates using advanced nadir sounding and tomographic radar processing techniques are compared and combined in a study of Isunnguata Sermia glacier, Greenland. Using an ensemble of Operation IceBridge flight lines spaced at 500 m intervals and running approximately along the flow direction, we find there is a statistically excellent comparison between subglacial terrains derived from two-dimensional tomography and gridded nadir sounding. Analysis shows that tomographic data better capture short wavelength (1–2 km) patterns in basal terrain, but interpolated nadir sounding data yield more spatially extensive and continuous coverage across the glacier, especially in deep subglacial troughs. Using derived surface and basal topography maps, we find that driving stress and measured and modeled surface velocity comparisons indicate that basal sliding is an important component of the glacier motion, but is also only weakly coupled to the detailed bed topography save for the deepest troughs. As might be expected for this land-terminating, relatively slow-moving glacier, the subglacial and proglacial topography is similar, suggesting the erosional processes acting on the modern glacier bed once helped sculpt the now exposed land.
Description
This is the published version. Copyright 2013 International Glaciological Society
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Citation
Jezek, K., X. Wu, J. Paden, and C. Leuschen. "Radar Mapping of Isunnguata Sermia, Greenland." Journal of Glaciology 59.218 (2013): 1135-146. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J248
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