What was the purpose of CryoVEx ASIRAS?

In continuation of the CryoSat-2 Validation Experiment (CryoVEx) carried out in 2011 and 2012, ESA initiated a third Arctic post-launch campaign in 2014 to further calibrate and validate CryoSat data products. The purpose of CryoVEx 2014 was to acquire data along transects of CryoSat ground tracks and over ground experiment sites through a coordinated major effort involving a large group of European, Canadian and US scientists.

The CryoVEx ASIRAS 2014 campaign report outlines the airborne field operations with the ESA airborne Ku-band interferometric radar (ASIRAS), coincident airborne laser scanner (ALS) and vertical photography to acquire data over sea- and land ice along validation sites and CryoSat ground tracks. The airborne campaign was coordinated by DTU Space using the Norlandair Air Twin Otter (TF-POF), the same aircraft used in former CryoVEx campaigns.

What was the outcome of CryoVEx ASIRAS?

The CryoVEx ASIRAS 2014 airborne campaign was a success. In general, the weather was good, which allowed data acquisition from all validation sites as well as most transit flights. Coincident ALS, ASIRAS, and photography were gathered along 13 CryoSat ground tracks covering different sea ice conditions, parts of the Greenland ice sheet, as well as the local ice caps Devon and Austfonna. Whenever possible the tracks were timed to match the CryoSat passage times, however this was hampered by limited airport opening hours, e.g. at CFS Alert.

Download the CryoVEx ASIRAS Final Report

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-aa4xtkn - CryoVEx ASIRAS: "Airborne ASIRAS radar and laser scanner measurements during 2014 CryoVEx campaign in the Arctic"

The campaign data is available online via FTP upon submission of a data access request. An active EO Sign In account is required to submit the request.

Data from the campaign are also available to download from the CS2EO portal.

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