Future satellite SAR interferometric configurations for ice sheets dynamics

Inhalt:
The satellite systems have greatly improved our knowledge of the ice sheets dynamics over the past decades. In particular the ERS SAR tandem interferometry revealed the great possibilities to survey the dynamics and mass balance as well as the InSAR power to investigate unknown mechanisms. Here we summarise the advantages, capabilities and limitations of various technical concepts like different tandem missions and interferometric cartwheels, proper to ice sheets dynamics and mass balance. For this prospect we define the criteria that have to be dealt with in a satellite mission definition and the constraints that these topics have on the mission design or operations.