Modelling of microwave scattering in sea ice and radar image classification in Ross Island, Antarctica

This data set consists of ground truth measurements of sea ice in Ross Island,
Antarctica. In the study of microwave remote sensing, field measurements or
in-situ data collections play an important role towards verifying the accuracy
of theoretical models. It is essential to understand the electrical property
and structure of the medium that is to be scanned by the radar as these
parameters greatly affect the microwave backscatter return signals. Measurement
of the sea ice provides vital information to aid in the development and
verification of the theoretical models. Furthermore, to better understand how
the overlying snow layer influences microwaves, the overlying snow layer
characteristics are also included in the measurements. Other parameters that
are to be measured during the field trip are the air and ocean temperature as
well as the ocean salinity.

Fieldwork team performed ground measurements and took samples from areas
surrounding Ross Island, Antarctica, including the front of Scott Base, McMurdo
runway (United States), Willy's Field, Turtle Rock, Cape Evans and Cape Royds.
Several locations were selected and the coordinate positions of the locations
were acquired using the GPS system. In the ground measurements, 7 main
parameters were identified and measured in the fieldwork. The 7 parameters are:
Sea ice and snow cover thickness, Air, sea ice, snow and ocean temperature, Sea
ice and snow density, Sea ice brine volume, crystal size and Orientation, sea
ice, snow and ocean salinity, Sea ice and snow surface roughness and finally
the site location coordinates.

This field measurement results would later be used in the theoretical modelling
of the snow and sea ice medium. The microwave Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
image at C-Band with HH polarization on the 27th of Oct 2005 had been requested
from the Canadian Radarsat satellite.