Leveraging Mars for Earth Climate Change Projections

How satellite radar altimetry data are used to study the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has not appreciably changed in three decades. Furthermore, the use of these data is challenged by the need to numerically model surface density in order to estimate GrIS mass budget. Meanwhile, great advances in the analysis of radar measurements have revolutionized our ability to quantify the surface properties of both Mars and Saturn’s moon, Titan. This raises the question of why similar analysis techniques cannot be leveraged here on Earth to produce new and unique observational records to better project the impacts of climate change on the GrIS. Specifically, can the strength of radar surface echoes be used to provide new insight into the spatiotemporal patterns in surface density? This work represents a new frontier in radar altimetry for Earth Observation (EO). If successful, it has the potential to 1) redefine our understanding of observed ice sheet mass balance and 2) directly address one of the most important challenges facing the Earth System models used to predict the future effects of climate change.