Retrieving Physical Properties of the Antarctic Firn via Spaceborne Microwave Radiometry

This paper discusses the retrieval of important physical properties of the Antarctic firn via spaceborne microwave radiometry focusing on Concordia and Vostok stations. Previous studies indicated that microwave radiometer measurements are sensitive to important physical properties of the firn from its surface down to deep isothermal ice. Here we demonstrated how brightness temperature differences measured by spaceborne radiometers over different parts of the Antarctic firn are related to changes in physical properties such as density; thus, retrieval of these properties is possible.