Antarctic ice-shelf thickness from satellite radar altimetry

摘要: Ice-shelf thickness is an important boundary condition for ice-sheet and sub-ice-shelf cavity modelling. It required near the grounding line to calculate ice flux used determine mass balance by comparison with upstream accumulation. In this budget approach, accuracy of one limiting factors in calculation. We present a satellite retrieval all Antarctic shelves using radar altimeter data from geodetic phases European Remote-sensing Satellite (ERS-1) during 1994-95 supplemented ICESat regions south ERS-1 latitudinal limit. Surface elevations derived these instruments are interpolated on regular grids kriging, converted thicknesses modelled firn-density correction. The availability new spatial variable correction significantly reduces error as was previously dominant source. Comparison airborne shows good agreement, particularly when compared SOAR CASERTZ largest shelves. Biases range -13.0 m areas where assumption hydrostatic equilibrium breaks down, 53.4 marine may be present.