MELT: Monitoring Iceberg Calving using Synthetic-Aperture Radar

The movement of glaciers in remote regions of Greenland and Antarctica have been tracked using images captured by the European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-1 mission. The mission is composed of two satellites equipped with C-band (4-8 GHz) synthetic-aperture radar instruments that allow for the collection of high-resolution images and data in all weather conditions. Using imaging provided by the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), and in collaboration with the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS), the movement of two key outlet glaciers on the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets (Pine Island and Petermann glaciers, respectively) has been monitored in near real time. In addition to this, key glaciological features, such as ice speed and supra-glacial lakes have been observed and monitored.