Simulating polarisation of EM radiation in snow and ice for climate change observations via advanced remote sensing of the cryosphere

Project ID: 2531ad1540

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UCL Lead department: Earth Sciences

Project Summary:

Earth’s cryosphere includes ice sheets and ice shelves, glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. It shapes the Earth’s climate through absorption of sun-light, regulating sea level and freshwater storage, and as habitats for a multitude of species.

Remote sensing using satellites has provided valuable insights into ice loss, especially in remote polar regions. Electromagentic (EM) radiation interacts with snow and ice in complex ways. As their physical condition change, their dielectric properties response, thus altering their remote sensing signatures. A particular challenge relates to retrievals of sea-ice thickness, a heterogeneous layer of ice atop the polar oceans, via satellite radar altimetry. The IPCC note this knowledge gap and relate it to uncertainties including the depth of snow on the sea ice.

Willatt et al. (2023) reported an exciting discovery, using a similar instrument to those deployed on satellite platforms. The thickness of snow on Arctic sea ice could be retrieved using the EM polarisation, since been observed over snow in other cryosphere locations (Willatt et al., in prep; Saha et al., in prep). We need to understand the physical basis behind the scattering mechanisms to develop the next generation of satellite missions and products. This project will use the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer (SMRT) model, a modular, open source code for modelling of EM radiation interaction with snow and ice. During the ESA-funded PoSARA project (PI: Willatt), SMRT was developed towards simulation of cross-polarisation behaviour relevant to these data. New simulation capabilities open the possibility to propose this concept as a new Earth Observation satellite mission.

During this project the student would investigate the use of SMRT and other modelling approaches for simulation of polarisation changes, with the possibility to inform sensor design and product development for proposal of a new instrument for remote sensing of the cryosphere.

Best wishes,