64 flights in December 1998 and January 1999 collected surface elevation and ice thickness data for the Ford Ranges, Sulzberger Ice Shelf, Edward VII Peninsula, and Shirase Coast region. The investigators used radar sounding and laser altimetry from a Twin Otter aircraft flying at least 300 m above the surface. This research was funded by the National Science Foundation under contract NSF OPP 9615281.
Use Cases
- Model ice sheet stability based on ice thickness measurements.
- Calculate ice volume changes based on surface elevation data.
- Validate satellite-derived altimetry data based on airborne laser altimetry.
- Study grounding line dynamics based on data from the Sulzberger Ice Shelf and Shirase Coast region.
- Analyze regional ice flow patterns based on elevation and thickness profiles.
Strengths
- Data collected via 64 dedicated flights, suggesting systematic coverage.
- Combines radar sounding and laser altimetry, likely providing complementary measurements.
- Spatial coverage includes multiple distinct regions of Western Marie Byrd Land.
- Funded by NSF under a specific contract (OPP 9615281), indicating formal research backing.
Limitations
- Last updated 1999-01-31 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- AMD_USAPDC
- Collection Method
- Radar sounding and laser altimetry from a Twin Otter aircraft flying at varying altitudes.
- Time Range
- December 1998 and January 1999
- Freshness
- 1999-01-31 23:59:59.999000
- Geography
- Western Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica, including Ford Ranges, Sulzberger Ice Shelf, Edward VII Peninsula, Shirase Coast region.