SEA ICE THICKNESS MONITORING FROM SPACE USING POLARIMETRIC GNSS-R

The decline in sea-ice shelf volume during the peak winter period has raised concerns, requiring accurate monitoring techniques as a response to ongoing climate changes. Current methodologies, primarily utilizing L-band radiometers and radar altimeters, exhibit limitations in measuring sea-ice thickness (SIT) accurately, particularly for thicker ice layers. Global Navigation Satellite System - Reflectometry (GNSS-R) emerges as a promising alternative, with full-polarimetric signals offering potential advancements. This study explores the sensitivity of polarimetric GNSS-R signals from the Soil Moisture Active Passive – Reflectometry (SMAP-R) dataset to SIT. By collocating SMAP-R measurements with CryoSat-2/SMOS data, this paper analyzes various polarimetric observables and introduces regression models for estimating SIT.