A Nasa study of the Arctic polar ice caps using a DC-8 aircraft has entered the second year of a six-year study.
The IceBridge mission will track changes in the extent and thickness of polar ice, characterise the changes in the world’s polar ice sheets, and collect data to improve predictive models of sea level rises and global climate change.
The data will also fill the gap in polar observations between the loss of Nasa’s existing ice, cloud, and land elevation satellite (ICESat) and the ICESat-II planned for 2015.
The DC-8 aircraft is being fitted with an array of scientific instruments for the 200 science flight hours over ten to 12 flights for the March 2010 mission to resurvey tracks of ICESat and look at new areas.
Another smaller, more manoeuvrable P-3B aircraft will be used in mid April for another round of ten to 12 science flights on the mission.
Both planes carry the airborne topographic mapper (ATM), which measures changes in the surface elevation of the ice, and the land, vegetation and ice Sensor, another laser altimeter that operates at higher altitudes and can survey larger areas quickly.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataIceBridge includes annual missions over the Arctic in March and April, and Antarctica in October and November.
