Kinematic GPS for Ice Sheet Surveys in Greenland

Abstract

This article presents results of repeated GPS surveys on the Greenland Ice Sheet for studying ice elevation changes, and for providing ground truth data for evaluation of remote sensing methods (e.g. satellite altimetry and SAR interferometry). The surveys have been carried out at several central sites of the Ice Sheet, as well as on local marginal ice caps, which are more sensitive to coastal climate changes. Kinematic GPS techniques have been used for surface profiling using snowmobile traverses and airborne laser altimetry, providing good agreements at the sub-metre level. Static GPS repeated surveys yield sinking and strain rates which are in good agreement with glacilogical mass balance models, indicating no major shrinking or growth of the Ice Sheet.