Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream
Abstract The orientation of ice crystals within large ice masses has a strong influence on their mechanical properties, but cannot be directly observed from the surface. The bulk birefringence of anisotropic ice allows us to infer information about the crystal orientation fabric (COF) from polarized...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110453 |
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| author | Niels F. Nymand David A. Lilien Tamara A. Gerber Christine S. Hvidberg Daniel Steinhage Prasad Gogineni Drew Taylor Dorthe Dahl‐Jensen |
| author_facet | Niels F. Nymand David A. Lilien Tamara A. Gerber Christine S. Hvidberg Daniel Steinhage Prasad Gogineni Drew Taylor Dorthe Dahl‐Jensen |
| author_sort | Niels F. Nymand |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The orientation of ice crystals within large ice masses has a strong influence on their mechanical properties, but cannot be directly observed from the surface. The bulk birefringence of anisotropic ice allows us to infer information about the crystal orientation fabric (COF) from polarized radar measurements. Here, we show a new approach for determining the orientation and strength of horizontal COF anisotropy from two radar reflections originating from the same physical layer in birefringent ice. We apply this method to data collected as part of a ground‐based radar survey of the North East Greenland Ice Stream. We observe a 12‐degree clockwise rotation of the fabric at the center of the ice stream, and a tendency toward a flow‐aligned COF further southeast. This asymmetry across the ice‐stream centerline adds to growing evidence for a more variable ice stream than previously assumed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ca8259ceadde4910b49fe31c1affddc7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-ca8259ceadde4910b49fe31c1affddc72025-08-20T02:06:28ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-02-01523n/an/a10.1029/2024GL110453Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice StreamNiels F. Nymand0David A. Lilien1Tamara A. Gerber2Christine S. Hvidberg3Daniel Steinhage4Prasad Gogineni5Drew Taylor6Dorthe Dahl‐Jensen7Niels Bohr Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkCentre for Earth Observation Science University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB CanadaNiels Bohr Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkNiels Bohr Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkAlfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven GermanyRemote Sensing Center University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL USARemote Sensing Center University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL USANiels Bohr Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkAbstract The orientation of ice crystals within large ice masses has a strong influence on their mechanical properties, but cannot be directly observed from the surface. The bulk birefringence of anisotropic ice allows us to infer information about the crystal orientation fabric (COF) from polarized radar measurements. Here, we show a new approach for determining the orientation and strength of horizontal COF anisotropy from two radar reflections originating from the same physical layer in birefringent ice. We apply this method to data collected as part of a ground‐based radar survey of the North East Greenland Ice Stream. We observe a 12‐degree clockwise rotation of the fabric at the center of the ice stream, and a tendency toward a flow‐aligned COF further southeast. This asymmetry across the ice‐stream centerline adds to growing evidence for a more variable ice stream than previously assumed.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110453radaranisotropycrystal orientation fabricNEGISice streamdouble reflections |
| spellingShingle | Niels F. Nymand David A. Lilien Tamara A. Gerber Christine S. Hvidberg Daniel Steinhage Prasad Gogineni Drew Taylor Dorthe Dahl‐Jensen Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream Geophysical Research Letters radar anisotropy crystal orientation fabric NEGIS ice stream double reflections |
| title | Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream |
| title_full | Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream |
| title_fullStr | Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream |
| title_full_unstemmed | Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream |
| title_short | Double Reflections in Polarized Radar Data Reveal Ice Fabric in the North East Greenland Ice Stream |
| title_sort | double reflections in polarized radar data reveal ice fabric in the north east greenland ice stream |
| topic | radar anisotropy crystal orientation fabric NEGIS ice stream double reflections |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110453 |
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