Surface temperature measurements of Arctic and Antarctic sea and land ice were collected using a Heitronics KT19.85 Series II Infrared Radiation Pyrometer. Data were acquired during NASA's Operation IceBridge funded survey campaigns by the Wallops Flight Facility. The dataset was last updated by the NSIDC_CPRD organization in May 2019.
Use Cases
- Validate satellite-derived ice surface temperature products by comparing with direct KT19 pyrometer measurements.
- Analyze spatial patterns of surface temperature across sea ice leads and land ice sheets to study melt processes.
- Correlate surface temperature time-series with other Operation IceBridge data, like ice thickness, to model heat flux.
- Calibrate regional climate models by providing in-situ surface temperature data for polar regions.
Strengths
- Data collected as part of the systematic, funded Operation IceBridge campaign.
- Measurements target both Arctic and Antarctic regions, providing bipolar coverage.
- Uses a specific, documented instrument: the Heitronics KT19.85 Series II pyrometer.
Limitations
- Specific temporal coverage, row count, and geographic precision are unknown from the description.
- Data recency is limited, with the last update recorded in 2019, preceding newer missions.
- The absence of known column details restricts immediate analysis of ancillary variables.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA Operation IceBridge missions, instrument operated by the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF).
- Collection Method
- Airborne measurements acquired by the Heitronics KT19.85 Series II Infrared Radiation Pyrometer as part of the ATM instrument suite.
- Time Range
- Temporal coverage of the IceBridge campaigns, but specific start and end years are null.
- Freshness
- Last updated in 2019; update frequency is null.
- Geography
- Arctic and Antarctic regions, covering both sea ice and land ice.