RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project: change-detection and surface velocity campaign

Abstract

Abstract The RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) is a collaboration between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency to map Antarctica using synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The first Antarctic Mapping Mission (AMM-1) was successfully completed in October 1997. Data from the acquisition phase of the 1997 campaign have been used to achieve the primary goal of producing the first high-resolution SAR image map of Antarctica. The Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission (MAMM) occurred during the fall of 2000. The acquisition strategy concentrated on collecting highest- resolution RADARSAT-1 data of Antarctica’s fast glaciers for change detection and feature-retracking estimates of surface velocity. Additionally, extensive data were acquired for interferometric analysis over the entire viewable region, which extends north of 80.1˚ S latitude. This paper summarizes the goals and strategy behind MAMM. It goes on to discuss ice-sheet margin changes observed on several ice shelves around the continent. Margin changes are documented by comparing AMM-1 and MAMM data with earlier datasets including European Remote-sensing Satellite-1 SAR imagery, Landsat imagery, the Antarctic Digital Database (version 1) coastline and Declassified Intelligence Satellite Photography. Analysis reveals a complex pattern of ice-margin advance and retreat without indicating any systematic behavior in ice-sheet extent about the ice-sheet perimeter.