Kara and Barents sea ice thickness estimation based on CryoSat-2 radar altimeter and Sentinel-1 dual-polarized synthetic aperture radar

Abstract. We present a method to combine CryoSat-2 (CS2) radar altimeter and Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture (SAR) data obtain sea ice thickness (SIT) estimates for the Barents Kara seas. From viewpoint of tactical navigation, along-track SIT are sparse, goal our study is develop interpolate measurements between CS2 ground tracks. The estimation developed here based on interpolation utilizing SAR segmentation segmentwise texture features. results compared derived from AARI charts; ORAS5, PIOMAS TOPAZ4 ocean–sea assimilation system reanalyses; combined Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) radiometer weekly (CS2SMOS SIT) daily MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) chart. studied two approaches: directly interpolated segments with mapping distributions correspond distribution model. Our approaches yield larger spatial coverage better accuracy either or alone. agreement modelled than CS2SMOS SIT. average differences when models chart were typically tens centimetres, there was significant positive bias (on 27 cm) similar (24 applicable future CRISTAL mission Copernicus programme missions.