HR: 13:40h
AN: C33A-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Overview of Scientific Advances from the ICESat Mission
AU: * Zwally, J
EM: zwally@icesat2.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771
AU: Schutz, B E
EM: schutz@csr.utexas.edu
AF: University of Texas Center for Space Research, 3925 W. Braker Suite 200, Austin, TX 78613
AB: NASA's Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), which was designed to operate continuously for 3 to 5 years, has acquired science data during eight periods of laser operation ranging from 33 to 54 days each. The primary purpose of ICESat has been to acquire time-series of ice-sheet elevation changes for determination of the present-day mass balance of the ice sheets, study of associations between observed ice changes and polar climate, and improve estimates of the present and future contributions to global sea level rise. ICESat data is providing the most accurate elevation maps of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and is enabling characterization of detailed topographic features on ice sheet, ice shelves and ice streams. The capability to detect ice sheet elevation changes of centimeters/year has been demonstrated. Sea-ice freeboard and thickness is being mapped, showing seasonal and interannual changes. Heights of clouds, aerosols, and the PBL have been mapped globally with unprecedented sensitivity and detail. Other measurements include: aerosol distributions, thin-cloud optical thicknesses, vegetation canopy heights and vertical structure, lake and river levels and slopes, ocean geoid and eddies, precision land topography, and elevations of small glaciers. The remaining laser lifetime will be used for approximately 33-day periods at 3 to 6 month-intervals to optimize the science return of the first ICESat mission
DE: 0700 CRYOSPHERE (4540)
DE: 0726 Ice sheets
DE: 0730 Ice streams
DE: 0750 Sea ice (4540)
DE: 0758 Remote sensing
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005