Initial Evaluation of Freeze/Thaw State and Sea Ice Detection Using the SMAP-R Dataset

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) is capable of performing Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) measurements. The SMAP-R global dataset extends from July 2015 to present and covers latitudes up to ∼82°, which benefit multiyear cryosphere studies. In this paper we perform an initial evaluation of the freeze/thaw (F/T) state over Alaska and the sea ice presence over the Beaufort and Chukchi seas area for the periods January to March 2018 and July to September 2018. This paper investigates the sensitivity of the current fully-calibrated SMAP-R dataset to the changes in the cryosphere.