Glacier topography
Measurement Instruments
Measurement Definition: Relates to glacier thickness typically found in mid to high latitudes with a volume/area coverage much smaller than an ice-sheet. [Unit of measurement - cm]
| Instrument | Status/
Accuracy | Instrument Description | Measurement Technology | Timeline |
| Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) | Operational | Swath mapping radar altimeter that provides measurements for surface water. | n/a |  |
| PAZ SAR-X | Operational | High resolution X-band radar for security, land use, urban management, environmental monitoring, risk management. Spotlight, Scansar and Stripmap acquisition modes. | n/a | |
| SAR (RADARSAT-2) | Operational | All-weather images of ocean, ice and land surfaces. Used for monitoring of coastal zones, polar ice, sea ice, sea state, geological features, vegetation and land surface processes. | n/a | |
| SAR (RCM) | Operational | All-weather, C-band data to support ecosystem monitoring, maritime surveillance and disaster management. | n/a | |
| IRIS | Approved | Ku-band Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Altimeter (with added Ka-band channel for snow depth retrieval and in combination with AMR-CR MW Radiometer for ice&snow classification and wet troposphere correction) to cover the needs for continuous monitoring of sea ice
thickness and land ice elevation measurement after Cryosat-2, with enhanced performance. | n/a | |
| SAOOH | Proposed | Interferometric swath altimeter building on the heritage of the SWOT mission. It will enhance sampling coverage and performance of hydrology water surface elevation measurements. | n/a | |