Airborne radiometric measurements at C, X and Ku-Band and�IR imagery

Abstract

The airborne campaign CIMREx was initiated by ESA to support the EU Copernicus High Priority Polar Candidate Mission, Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR), to sample the sea ice microwave emissions from various sea ice regimes around Svalbard and Greenland. The measurements were carried out with the HUTRAD 2.0 radiometer, refurbished for the purpose of the campaign. HUTRAD measured the brightness temperature from the sea ice at 6.8, 10.65 and 18.7 GHz at vertical and horizontal polarizations, providing basic information on the ability for high-resolution measurements of sea ice concentration and related snow/ice properties for the future CIMR satellite. Refurbishment of HUTRAD was performed as a part of the CIMREx activities by Harp Technologies Ltd. In addition to the sidelooking HUTRAD passive microwave measurements, also infrared and visual imaging was carried out, along with precise aircraft navigation with geodetic GPS and inertial navigation units.The CIMREx campaign took place between February 28-March 11, 2019. The first data were collected during initial transitions from Akureyri, Iceland, via Greenland, to the main campaign site at Svalbard. Three dedicated data collection flights were carried out around Svalbard on March 7 and 8.The work described in this report was done under ESA Contract. Responsibility for the contents resides in the author or organisation that prepared it.