Determination of Backscatter Characteristics of Sea Ice Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Data

This final report presents results obtained from an analysis of multi-channel synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data obtained from imaging flights over areas of sea ice. The SAR system operated simultaneously at 3 cm and 23 cm wavelengths, with two orthagonal-polarization receivers, horizontal and vertical, for each wavelength. Two SAR data sets were used, one from sea ice test sites in the Beaufort Sea region with data flights conducted during March 1979 as a part of the Canada SURSAT program, and the other data obtained during March 1977 as a part of the Canadian SAR-77 program conducted in Labrador, Newfoundland. Ground truth information was provided by consultants from INTERA, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the Beaufort Sea sites and from REMOTEC, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, for the Labrador sites. The SAR data were converted into digital image format and four basic measurements made on the data from each test site: (1) mean value, (2) standard deviation, (3) histogram, and (4) relative power scans at constant range lines. The results are presented in several formats: (1) cluster plots, (2) variance versus ice type, (3) coefficient of variation, and (4) two measures of the polarization ratio. Relative values of backscatter coefficients for several ice types are compared, but absolute values cannot be obtained. (Author) Prepared in cooperation with INTERA Environmental Consultants, Ltd.