Simulating SAR altimeter echoes from cryospheric surfaces with the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer (SMRT) model version 1.7
Simulating SAR altimeter echoes from cryospheric surfaces with the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer (SMRT) model version 1.7
Ghislain Picard, Justin Murfitt, Elena Zakharova, Pierre Zeiger, Laurent Arnaud, Jeremie Aublanc, Jack C. Landy, Michele Scagliola, and Claude Duguay
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 9103–9129, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-9103-2026, 2026
Radar altimeters measure ice-sheet elevation and sea-ice thickness. To improve their accuracy, we developed a model that simulates altimeter waveforms based on the physical properties of snow and sea ice. It computes the power, time, and Doppler shift of radar echoes as waves travel to the surface, interact with snow and ice, and return to the satellite. The model was verified internally, validated against other models and applied in Antarctica using in-situ snow measurements.