Is there a “best” SAR frequency for ice sheets and glaciers?
It is known that single-band data (C-band) permit almost all the analyses summarized above because a wealth of such data has been collected, from which these techniques have been developed. Seasat provided a limited amount of L-band data that confirmed it also can be used for snow facies, icebergs, and surface morphology research (Bindschadler et al., 1987). Limited airborne P-band and X-band data have hinted that these frequencies may also be used (Jezek et al., 1993). Recently, Space-Shuttle-based multi-frequency (L- and C-band), multi-polarimetric data have been added to the data pool. What has been missing is a methodical comparison of data of the same ice- sheet areas using different frequencies and including complex data so interferometric products can be examined. L-band and P-band penetrate deeper than C-band, but the quantitative advantages and disadvantages of sensing deeper, older snow have not been established. A more diffuse volume-scattering component might provide a more
