remote sensing of the cryosphere: …...1 remote sensing of the cryosphere: exercises #1 (leigh...

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REMOTESENSINGOFTHECRYOSPHERE:EXERCISES#1(LeighStearns)1. Glacieroutlines:Withoutconferringwithyourclassmates,markonthefollowingimageswhereyouwouldconsidertheglacieroutlinetobe:

A.

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B.

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C.

Now,compareyouroutlineswithothers.Howdotheydiffer?Wheredotheydiffer?Providesomereasonsforthedifferences.Whatadditionalinformationmightyouusetoimprovetheaccuracyofyourareaestimates?Howwouldquantifytheuncertaintyinaglacierareaestimate?

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2. ElectromagneticSpectrumBelowisaschematicoftheelectromagneticspectrum.Foreachofthecategoriesinthetable,describepossiblecryospheresatellitesandapplications(youshouldbeabletocomeupwith~3applicationsforeachwavelength).Underlineoneapplicationforeachwavelength;forthatapplication,describesomeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofusingthissensor.

Wavelength Satellite/Sensor Applications Advantages DisadvantagesVisible

ThermalInfrared

Microwave

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3. StructuralMappingThefollowingtwoimagesshowByrdGlacier,AntarcticapassingthroughtheTransantarcticMountainsandenteringthewesternmarginoftheRossIceShelf.Thefirstimage(a)isanopticalimageacquiredbyCanada’sRADARSATsatellite.Identifyandhighlightglaciologicalstructuresthatyoucanidentifyoneitherimage.Whatdifferencesareduetosensortype?A.

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B.

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4. FeaturetrackingforicevelocityPartoftheexperimentaldesignofaprojecttomeasureglaciervelocitiesbyfeaturetrackingrequireschoosingsatelliteimageryatanappropriatetimeinterval,givenasensor’sgroundrangeresolutionandtheexpectedicespeed.Completethefollowingtabletosuggestappropriatetimeintervalsindaysforarobustvelocityestimate,givendifferentrangeresolutionsandmaximumglaciervelocities. Groundrangeresolution(m)

Glaciervelocity(m/yr)

3m 15m 30m

50m/yr

300m/yr

2000m/yr