AMSR-E Validation Data

Cryospheric Data

Meltpond2000 Sea Ice Campaign

Meltpond2000 data are now available from NSIDC.

Meltpond2000 was a sea ice validation program for AMSR-E funded by multiple agencies. The campaign consisted of a series of aircraft flights over melting arctic ice, using the Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer (PSR-A or PSR-C), during June-July 2000. The PSR is the first airborne scanned polarimetric imaging radiometer for post-launch satellite calibration and validation of passive microwave sensors. The aircraft also carried the scanning low-frequency microwave radiometer (SLFMR) and and infrared (IR) scanning radiometer. The objective of the campaign was to quantify the errors in proposed AMSR-E sea ice algorithms from the presence of melting ponds on the pack ice surface. Melt ponds are currently the largest source of error in determining arctic sea ice concentrations using satellite passive microwave sensors. A secondary objective of Meltpond2000 was to develop a microwave capability to discriminate between melt ponds and open sea water. Dr. Donald J. Cavalieri was the Chief Scientist for the campaign.

The following images show the flight lines used during the campaign. The table below the figures details the location, altitude, and sensors flown for each date.