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A polarimetric analysis of COSMO-SkyMed and RADARSAT-2 offset tracking derived velocities of David-Drygalski Glacier (Antarctica)

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Abstract

This paper deals with the comparison of coregistration offset tracking velocities in the inner part of the David Glacier (Antarctica), obtained with SAR sensors characterized by different wavelengths and spatial resolutions: Cosmo-SkyMED (X band) and RADARSAT-2 (C band). Particular attention has been devoted to understand the role of polarization and penetration depth of the incident wavelength, which represent key parameters in determining the effective incidence angle and so, for this reason, affecting also derived velocities. Metric validation of offset tracking derived velocities was obtained with respect to a geodetic GPS point available in the study area and to a velocity field derived from Landsat imagery coregistration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank ASI and CSA for providing SAR datasets in the framework of the “COSMO-SkyMed/RADARSAT-2 Initiative Joint Announcement of Opportunity” (proposal id 2873/5247) and USGS for Landsat 8 imagery.

A special thanks to SARmap SA and Exelis VIS for the advice in processing SAR scenes using SARscape software.

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Correspondence to Andrea Lugli.

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Lugli, A., Vittuari, L. A polarimetric analysis of COSMO-SkyMed and RADARSAT-2 offset tracking derived velocities of David-Drygalski Glacier (Antarctica). Appl Geomat 9, 43–52 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-016-0181-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-016-0181-8

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