Analysis of the 1993-95 Bering Glacier (Alaska) surge using differential SAR interferometry

Abstract

AbstractDifferential spaceborne radar interferometry observations of West Bagley Icefield are used to measure surface velocity and topography. Bagley Icefield is the accumulation area fur Bering Glacier which surged in two phases from spring 1993 through summer 1905. The observations presented are based on data collected during the winter of 1992, prior to the surge, and during winter 1994 while the surge was in full progress. Both observation intervals correspond to 3 day repeat orbit phases of the ERS-I C-band SAR. This paper gives an overview of the algorithms used to derive surface-velocity vector fields and topography for valley glaciers from SAR images. The resulting high-resolution velocity data clearly show West Bagley Icefield accelerating from its quiescent pre-surge velocity by a factor of 2.7 in response to the Bering Glacier surge. Persistence of lnterfero-metric phase coherence and the relatively moderate degree of acceleration on the western arm of Bagley Icefield suggest that the velocity increase may have been caused by increased longitudinal stress gradients resulting from coupling to the surging main trunk of Bering Glacier.