Airborne Experiment on InSAR Snow Mass Retrieval in Alpine Environment

Abstract

In March 2021 a field campaign was conducted in the Austrian Alps exploring the application potential and performance of snow mass (snow water equivalent, SWE) retrievals by means of repeat-pass radar interferometry (RP-InSAR). Multiple repeat acquisitions were gained with an airborne polarimetric C-band and L-band SAR, spanning days without snowfall, as well as two snowfall events of different intensity. SWE maps, compiled by inverting the change of the RP-InSAR phase delay in the snowpack, show good agreement with field measurements. Whereas L-band data are well applicable for both snowfall events, temporal decorrelation prevents the application of C-band data for the snowfall event of high intensity. The analysis of the campaign data proceeds, addressing among other topics the application of RP-InSAR for SWE monitoring within the planned L-band SAR mission ROSE-L of the European Copernicus program and the proposed geostationary C-band SAR mission Hydroterra.