This dataset contains snow depth and snow-base backscatter intensity for four polarizations (HH, VH, VV, HV) derived from airborne radar data acquired using the quad-polarized AWI ultra-wideband microwave radar (UWBM) during the Antarctic season of 2022/23 (December 5th, 2022). The profiles extend across Atka Bay's snow-covered landfast sea ice in western Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. UWBM data was acquired to study snow drifts around icebergs and their radar signatures with a quad-polarized high-resolution radar system. The snow height is defined as the snow between the snow-ice interface or the snow-flooded snow (slush or brine-wetted snow) interface.

Project: ANTSI (ANTarctic Sea Ice and platelet ice survey)Region: Atka Bay's landfast sea ice, Dronning Maud Land, East AntarcticaUWBM Radar Data Owner/Correspondence:Christian Haas (Alfred Wegener Institut Bremerhaven, Germany), Contact: christian.haas@awi.deVeit Helm (Alfred Wegener Institut Bremerhaven, Germany), Contact: veit.helm@awi.de--The tab-delimited file contains (1) snow heights over Atka Bay's landfast sea ice, (2) the backscatter intensity of the snow-base interface for all four polarizations (HH, VH, VV, HV), and (3) the ratio of snow-base interface backscatter intensity of VV/HV and HH/VH. Since the UWBM data were acquired over sea ice with areas of potential flooding and superimposed brine-wetted snow layer development due to a critical snow load, we specifically define our snow column thickness as fresh, non-saline and non brine-wetted snow thickness. The fresh-snow depth represents either the interface between snow and ice or the interface between fresh snow and a two-layer package consisting of flooded snow (i.e., slush) and brine-wetted snow above.