TITLE:
ICESat GLAS Elevation Changes and ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-of-Sight Changes on the Continuous Permafrost Zone of the North Slope, Alaska
AUTHORS:
Reginald R. Muskett
KEYWORDS:
ICESat, GLAS, ALOS, PALSAR, Permafrost, Alaska
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.6 No.10,
October
20,
2015
ABSTRACT: Measuring centimeter-scale
and smaller surface changes by satellite-based systems on the periglacial
terrains and permafrost zones of the northern hemisphere is an ongoing
challenge. We are investigating this challenge by using data from the NASA Ice,
Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (ICESat
GLAS) and the JAXA Advanced Land Observing Satellite Phased Array type L-band
Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) on the continuous permafrost zone of the
North Slope, Alaska. Using the ICESat GLAS exact-repeat profiles in the
analysis of ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight (LOS) changes, we find evidence of
volume scattering over much of the tundra vegetation covered active-layer and
surface scattering from river channel/banks (deposition and erosion), from rock
outcropping bluffs and ridges. Pingos, ice-cored mounds common to permafrost
terrains can be used as benchmarks for assessment of LOS changes. For
successful InSAR processing, topographic and tropospheric phase cannot be
assumed negligible and must be removed. The presence of significant troposphere
phase in short-period repeat interferograms renders stacking ill suited for the
task of deriving verifiable centimeter-scale surface deformation phase and
reliable LOS changes.