On the Limitations of Using Polarimetric Radar Sounding to Infer the Crystal Orientation Fabric of Ice Masses

Nicholas M. Rathmann*, David A. Lilien, Aslak Grinsted, Tamara A. Gerber, Tun Jan Young, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

6 Citationer (Scopus)
39 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We introduce a transfer matrix model for radio-wave propagation through layered anisotropic ice that permits an arbitrary dielectric permittivity tensor in each layer. The model is used to investigate how crystal orientation fabrics without a vertical principal direction affect polarimetric radar returns over glaciers and ice sheets. By expanding the c-axis orientation distribution in terms of a spherical harmonic series, we find that radar returns from synthetic fabric profiles are relatively insensitive to the harmonic mode responsible for a nonvertical principal direction; however, only for normally incident waves. Consequently, the strength of this mode might be relatively difficult to infer in glaciers and ice sheets, which in turn has implications for the ability to determine the full second-order structure tensor, needed to infer the local flow regime, flow history, or to represent the directional viscosity structure of glacier ice for ice-flow modeling.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
ArtikelnummerARTN e2021GL096244
TidsskriftGeophysical Research Letters
Vol/bind49
Udgave nummer1
Antal sider11
ISSN0094-8276
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 16 jan. 2022

Citationsformater