Validating and improving elevation data of a satellite-image map of Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, with results from ERS-I

A satellite-image map with surface-elevation contours of Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf has been published previously as a topographic map. The image map was constructed from a mosaic of 69 Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images and NOAA AVHRR data. The standard deviation in position in the central part of the mosaic is ±125m. Topographic-glaciologic features were taken from Landsat scenes and represent the best coastline of this region. Surface elevations have been calculated from airborne and ground measurements of either ice thickness (by assuming hydrostatic equilibrium) or barometric pressure. Accuracies vary from ±2 to ±7 m, Oversnow trigonometric levelling in the northeastern part of the ice shelf, tied to sea level at the ice front, has given accuracies of ± 1m. Accuracies reduce to about ±20 m in the grounded ice areas, ERS-I radar-altimeter data over the ice shelf have been processed to give ellipsoidal heights elevation above the ellipsoid), Geoidal reductions have been used to convert these to orthometric heights (elevation above sea level). No tidal corrections have been applied. The overall accuracy of the radar-altimeter-derived elevations is estimated to be better than ±5m. There are noticeable differences from the topographic map in the central part where the radar data indicate a lower surface. However, the maps agree to within the stated error figures.

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