Satellite-Image-Derived Velocity Field of an Antarctic Ice Stream

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 252; no. 5003; pp. 242 - 246
• Main Authors: Bindschadler, R. A., Scambos, T. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Legacy CDMS American Society for the Advancement of Science 12-04-1991; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Antarctica; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Flow velocity; Geology; Geophysics; Glacial landforms; Glaciers; Ice; Ice sheets; Ice streams; Kinetics; Mass balance; Pixels; Research Article; Satellite imaging; Satellites; Snow. Ice. Glaciers; Velocity distribution; Antarctica; Antarctic region; PS, Antarctica; Ice sheet; Penetration rate; Satellite observation; Antarctica; Snow cover; Velocity distribution; Large scale; Measurement method; Material balance
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.252.5003.242

The surface velocity of a rapidly moving ice stream has been determined to high accuracy and spatial density with the use of sequential satellite imagery. Variations of ice velocity are spatially related to surface undulations, and transverse velocity variations of up to 30 percent occur. Such large variations negate the concept of plug flow and call into question earlier mass-balance calculations for this and other ice streams where sparse velocity data were used. The coregistration of images with the use of the topographic undulations of the ice stream and the measurement of feature displacement with cross-correlation of image windows provide significant improvements in the use of satellite imagery for ice-flow determination.