Operation IceBridge images Earth’s polar ice in unprecedented detail to better understand processes that connect the polar regions with the global climate system. IceBridge utilizes a highly specialized fleet of research aircraft and the most sophisticated suite of innovative science instruments ever assembled to characterize annual changes in thickness of snow, sea ice, glaciers, and ice sheets. In addition, IceBridge collects critical data used to predict the response of earth’s polar ice to climate change and resulting sea-level rise.  IceBridge also helps bridge the gap in polar observations between NASA’s ICESat and ICESat-2 mission set for launch in September 2018.

Domain: Greenland, Alaska, Canadian ice caps, Svalbard, Antarctica, Arctic and Southern Oceans
NASA Instruments/Platforms: ATM and LVIS lidars, visible and infrared imagery, radar suite including a snow radar; P3-B, DC-8, B200, HU-25, C-130 

For more information, visit Operation IceBridge website: https://icebridge.gsfc.nasa.gov/