Remote sensing of ice phenomena from orbit by signal correlation of multiple receiver responses
The method of signal correlation of microwave responses as applied to the measurement of Earth-surface ice temperatures from orbit is explained and summarized. Ice temperatures are estimated by a correlation function that is derived from the processes of a forward stepwise correlator. Subsets of the post-detected outputs of microwave receiving channels are combined in a multivariate cross-correlation function which operates as a spatial filter and serves to improve the spatial resolution of the thermal gradients in ice structures. The correlator is designed to selectively identify the correlative components among the microwave responses and to strongly suppress or cancel the non-correlative components appearing in the post-detected outputs.