Speaker
Description
The characterization of ice structure and dynamic processes is essential for improving our understanding of the cryosphere and its role in the global water cycle [1]. The accelerating loss of ice masses and their contribution to sea-level rise call for increasingly extensive observations of polar regions. The limited spatial and temporal coverage and difficult accessibility of in situ measurements make satellite remote sensing a key tool for achieving such a global perspective. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provides unique all-weather, systematic observation capabilities and, at long wavelengths, SAR interferometry (InSAR) and tomography (TomoSAR) can further exploit the penetration of the electromagnetic wave into the ice, providing information on its internal structure through the combination of acquisitions collected from different viewing geometries [2].
ESA’s BIOMASS mission [3] carries the first spaceborne fully polarimetric P-band SAR, operating at a wavelength of about 70 cm, and its orbital configuration enables interferometric and tomographic acquisitions. Although primarily conceived for global forest mapping, the combination of long wavelength and multi-baseline observations opens unprecedented possibilities for the investigation of subsurface structures in icy environments, especially over Antarctica, filling a gap with respect to optical and higher-frequency SAR systems. These possibilities also include the characterization of liquid-water-bearing layers and subglacial aquifer systems, whose distribution and dynamics are relevant to the understanding of ice-sheet mass balance, hydrology, and stability.
In this talk, the potential of BIOMASS P-band TomoSAR is investigated for applications such as subglacial aquifer mapping. The case study focuses on the Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf, an increasingly studied region due to its potential for meltwater storage and its role in buttressing part of East Antarctica. Building on the preliminary results presented in [2], the TomoSAR methodology applied to process the data stack is presented and evaluated in terms of phase calibration, structural reconstruction, and identification of potential water-bearing layers. The results are compared with glaciological observations and complementary datasets to assess the consistency of the retrieved subsurface features and to provide independent support for the interpretation of potential aquifer signatures. Results highlight the potential of BIOMASS for detecting and characterizing subglacial water structures in Antarctica.
References
[1] P. L. Whitehouse, et al., “Solid Earth change and the evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet,” Nature communications, 2019
[2] F. Banda, et al., “First BIOMASS Tomography Results in Antarctica,” EUSAR, 2026
[3] K. Scipal, et al. "BIOMASS: ESA’s P-Band SAR Mission.", Proceedings of the IEEE, 2026
[4] J. F. Arthur, et al., “Large interannual variability in supraglacial lakes around East Antarctica,” Nature communications, 2022