Changes in ice dynamics and glacier mass balances on the northern Antarctic Peninsula derived from remote sensing data Änderungen der Eisdynamiken und Gletschermassenbilanzen auf der nördlichen Antarktischen Halbinsel abgeleitet aus Fernerkundungsdaten Der Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades Dr. rer. nat. vorgelegt von Thorsten Christian Seehaus aus Bad Neustadt an der Saale Als Dissertation genehmigt von der Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 29.11.2016 Vorsitzende/r des Promotionsorgans: Prof. Dr. Georg Kreimer Gutachter/in: Prof. Dr. Matthias Braun Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Rack Prof. Dr. Helmut Rott Table of Contents 1 Summary............................................................................................................................7 2 Zusammenfassung.............................................................................................................9 3 Structure of the thesis......................................................................................................12 4 Remote sensing of polar ice sheets.................................................................................13 4.1 SAR remote sensing..................................................................................................14 4.1.1 SAR Interferometry.............................................................................................17 4.1.1.1 Interferometric DEM processing.................................................................18 4.1.2 SAR offset tracking.............................................................................................19 4.1.2.1 Intensity tracking.........................................................................................19 4.1.2.2 Coherence tracking.....................................................................................19 4.2 Altimetry.....................................................................................................................20 4.3 Multispectral satellite remote.....................................................................................21 4.4 Ground penetrating radar sensing.............................................................................21 4.5 Glacier mass balance derived from remote sensing data.........................................21 4.5.1 Gravimetric mass balance method.....................................................................22 4.5.2 Geodetic mass balance method.........................................................................23 4.5.3 Input/Output mass balance method...................................................................23 5 Study site.........................................................................................................................24 5.1 Geography and climate .............................................................................................25 5.2 Climatic and glaciological changes............................................................................26 6 Motivations and Objectives..............................................................................................29 6.1 Contributions to scientific papers...............................................................................31 7 Study 1: Changes in ice dynamics, elevation and mass discharge of Dinsmoor- Bombardier-Edgeworth glacier system, Antarctic Peninsula...............................................33 7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................34 7.2 Study site...................................................................................................................36 7.3 Data...........................................................................................................................37 7.4 Methods.....................................................................................................................38 7.4.1 Glacier extent.....................................................................................................38 7.4.2 Surface velocities...............................................................................................38 7.4.3 Surface elevations..............................................................................................38 7.4.4 Ice mass flux.......................................................................................................39 7.4.5 Mass balance.....................................................................................................39 7.5 Results.......................................................................................................................41 7.5.1 Glacier extent.....................................................................................................41 7.5.2 Surface velocities...............................................................................................43 7.5.3 Surface elevation changes.................................................................................43 7.5.4 Ice mass flux.......................................................................................................44 7.5.5 Mass balance.....................................................................................................45 7.6 Discussion..................................................................................................................46 7.6.1 Velocity and elevation changes..........................................................................46 7.6.2 Mass loss and Imbalance...................................................................................47 7.7 Conclusions...............................................................................................................49 8 Study 2: Dynamic response of Sjögren Inlet glaciers, Antarctic Peninsula, to ice shelf breakup derived from multi-mission remote sensing time series.......................................51 8.1 Introduction................................................................................................................52 8.2 Study site...................................................................................................................53 8.3 Data and Methods.....................................................................................................54 8.3.1 Flow velocity and glacier extent.........................................................................54 8.3.2 Surface elevation changes.................................................................................54 8.3.3 Mass balance.....................................................................................................56 8.3.4 Ice mass flux.......................................................................................................57 8.4 Results.......................................................................................................................57 8.4.1 Flow velocity and glacier extent.........................................................................57 8.4.2 Surface elevation changes.................................................................................59 8.4.3 Mass balance.....................................................................................................61 8.4.4 Ice mass flux.......................................................................................................62 8.5 Discussion..................................................................................................................63 8.5.1 Ice dynamics.......................................................................................................63 8.5.2 Mass balance.....................................................................................................66 8.6 Conclusions...............................................................................................................67 9 Study 3: Detailed analysis of changes in glacier dynamics on the northern Antarctic Peninsula since 1985...........................................................................................................70 9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................71 9.2 Study site...................................................................................................................72 9.3 Data & Methods.........................................................................................................73 9.3.1 Area Changes.....................................................................................................73 9.3.2 Flow velocity.......................................................................................................74 9.3.3 Ice mass flux.......................................................................................................76 9.3.4 Glacier attributes................................................................................................77 9.3.5 Cluster analysis..................................................................................................77 9.3.6 Climatic mass balance.......................................................................................77 9.4 Results.......................................................................................................................78