500-2000-MHz Airborne Brightness Temperature Measurements Over the East Antarctic Plateau

Measurements of the 500-2000-MHz brightness temperature spectra of Antarctica acquired under the Ice Sheet and Sea Ice Ultrawideband Microwave Airborne eXperiment (ISSIUMAX) are reported. These data sets support the remote sensing of ice sheet properties, in particular information on the temperature profile within the ice sheet. The Ultrawideband Software-Defined Microwave Radiometer (UWBRAD) was installed on a Twin Otter aircraft, and measurements were collected on coastal areas and the interior of East Antarctica in November and December 2018. UWBRAD 500-2000-MHz brightness temperature measurements along a 1000-km path over the ice sheet are compared in this letter to forward model simulations for these locations and confirm the expected sensitivities to ice sheet parameters.

Automated summary

Measurements of the 500-2000-MHz brightness temperature spectra of Antarctica acquired under ISSIUMAX support the remote sensing of ice sheet properties, particularly information on the temperature profile within the ice sheet. The UWBRAD installed on a Twin Otter aircraft collected data on coastal areas and the interior of East Antarctica in November and December 2018, comparing brightness temperature measurements with forward model simulations to confirm expected sensitivities to ice sheet parameters.