Polarization of radio waves transmitted through Antarctic ice shelves

The polarization behaviour of radar waves transmitted through two Antarctic ice shelves has been investigated using a step frequency radar with a centre frequency of 300 MHz and a bandwidth of 150 MHz. One site was on Brunt Ice Shelf at a site near Halley station, and 17 sites were oil George VI Ice Shelf near the southern ice front. Birefringence in the ice dominated the behaviour oil Brunt Ice Shelf, where the anisotropy in the effective permittivity was found to be about 0.14%. On George VI Ice Shelf, a highly anisotropic reflecting surface was the controlling feature, suggesting a fluted ice-shelf base formed by oceanographic currents.

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