Modelled and Sentinel-1 Detected Firn Aquifer Areas in the Antarctic Peninsula (2017-2020)

Firn aquifer extent maps from the IMAU-FDM Firn Densification Model and Sentinel-1 satellite detection routines for the Antarctic Peninsula. The dataset includes simulated seasonal and perennial aquifer extents on a 5.5 km grid and GeoTIFF images with annual detection bands. The work was performed by researchers at the Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung.

Use Cases

• Validate firn densification model outputs based on simulated aquifer extent maps.
• Analyze seasonal melt patterns based on Sentinel-1 backscatter-derived DOY80 parameter.
• Compare modelled and satellite-detected perennial aquifer locations.
• Study temporal aquifer persistence based on data spanning 2017-2020.
• Assess aquifer detection thresholds based on the DOY80=105 criterion.

Strengths

• Includes both modelled outputs from IMAU-FDM v1.2A and satellite detection results from Sentinel-1.
• Provides data for four consecutive years (2017-2020).
• Model outputs are on a defined 5.5 km grid.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

Collection Method

Model outputs from IMAU-FDM and detection results from Sentinel-1 SAR backscatter analysis via Google Earth Engine.

Time Range

2017-2020

Geography

Antarctic Peninsula