Validation of a backscatter model of a river ice covers using Radarsat-1 images

Simultaneous microwave radar data and measurements field at some study sites on river ice were collected over the Athabasca River during winter 2006. These data will be employed to validate an electromagnetic model developed to simulate the backscatter of river ice cover. This model is based on radiative transfer theory which is solved by Doubling Matrix Methods’. This numerical method accounts for scattering effects due to the volume, boundaries, boundary-volume interactions and coupling between layers. Three ice types were formed on this river (Columnar ice, snow ice and frazil ice). The measurements collected from the extracted ice cores included the ice thickness, ice type, ice densities, and size and form of the scatters embedded in the ice cover. These measurements will be used as inputs data for the model developed to its validation with the Radarsat-1 images and to understand the interaction of radar signal with the different ice types formed on the river.