IceBridge Program Overview

1
IceBridge Program Overview

• Tom Wagner
• IceBridge Program Scientist

2
Program Goals

• The first phase of IceBridge will include the
  following
• Making airborne altimetry measurements over the
  ice sheets and sea ice to extend the record of
  observations begun by ICESat.
• Linking the measurements made by ICESat,
  ICESat-2, and CryoSat-2 to allow accurate
  comparison and production of a long-term, ice
  altimetry record.
• Using airborne altimetry to monitor key, rapidly
  changing areas of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic
  to maintain a long term observation record,
  improve understanding of glacial dynamics, and
  improve predictive models of sea level rise and
  sea ice cover.
• In conjunction with altimetry measurements,
  collecting other remotely sensed data to improve
  predictive models of sea level rise and sea ice
  cover, especially the following
• Ice thickness and structure
• Bed topography underlying land-based ice
• Bathymetry beneath floating ice shelves
• Snow accumulation and firn structure and
• Other geophysical constraints that will improve
  estimates of the geothermal and oceanic heat
  flux.
• Monitoring important areas of sea ice for
  understanding present and future changes in sea
  ice cover and thickness.
• Adapting existing instruments for airborne remote
  sensing of ice by unmanned aerial systems such as
  NASAs Global Hawk.

3
Science Team ResponsibilitiesIceBridge ROSES

• 1)      Final development of the IceBridge
  Science Definition Document and Level-1
  Scientific Requirements Document 2)     
  Evaluation of the IceBridge mission designs in
  achieving the goals defined by the Science
  Definition Document and Level-1 Scientific
  Requirements Document as requested by the NASA
  Program Scientist and 3)      Support to the
  IceBridge Program Scientist and Project Scientist
  in the development of the required analyses,
  documentation, and reporting during the IceBridge
  mission.