An evaluation of SeaWinds/QuikSCAT data for the estimation of the decay status of first-year sea ice

This analysis evaluates the temporal evolution of the microwave backscatter coefficient (/spl sigma//spl deg/) and VV/HH /spl sigma//spl deg/ co-polarization ratio from Qscat for estimating sea ice thermodynamics. Qscat /spl sigma//spl deg/ were compared against RADARSAT-1 SAR /spl sigma//spl deg/ and in situ data from the Collaborative Interdisciplinary Cryospheric Experiment (C-ICE) for 2000, 2001, and 2002 were used as validation. Results indicate that the temporal evolution of /spl sigma//spl deg/ from Qscat is analogous to RADARSAT-1. The Qscat /spl sigma//spl deg/ temporal evolution has the ability to identify Winter, Snow Melt, and Ponding thermodynamic states. Moreover, the co-polarization VV/HH ratio of Qscat provides a more robust estimate of the Ponding state and identifies the Drainage state that is difficult to detect by single polarization SAR.