ICESat Antarctic elevation data: Preliminary precision and accuracy assessment
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Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2006-04-06
Type of Work
Department
Program
Citation of Original Publication
Shuman, C. A., Zwally, H. J., Schutz, B. E., Brenner, A. C., DiMarzio, J. P., Suchdeo, V. P., and Fricker, H. A. (2006), ICESat Antarctic elevation data: Preliminary precision and accuracy assessment, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L07501, doi:10.1029/2005GL025227.
Rights
This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
Public Domain Mark 1.0
Public Domain Mark 1.0
Subjects
Abstract
Since ‘first light’ on February 20th, 2003, NASA's Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) has derived surface elevations from ∼86°N to 86°S latitude. These unique altimetry data have been acquired in a series of observation periods in repeated track patterns using all three Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) lasers. Here, we focus on Antarctic ice sheet elevation data that were obtained in 2003–2004. We present preliminary precision and accuracy assessments of selected elevation data, and discuss factors impacting elevation change detection. We show that for low slope and clear sky conditions, the precision of GLA12 Laser 2a, Release 21 data is ∼2.1 cm and the relative accuracy of ICESat elevations is ±14 cm based on crossover differences.