Multichannel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder for NASA Operation Ice Bridge

The Multichannel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder (MCoRDS) system was developed by the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) to map the thickness of ice sheets. This radar system was used in Antarctica as one of the primary sensors for NASA's Operation Ice Bridge (OIB) during the fall of 2009. Compared to its predecessors, MCoRDS features several new capabilities which enabled it to successfully capture ice thickness measurements over multiple glaciers on an aerial platform. This paper will focus on the capabilities of MCoRDS and also provide a sample of the processed radar results.