Sentinel-1 SAR Repeat-Pass Interferometry for Early Indication of Landfast Ice Breakup Sites: A Case Study in the Canadian Arctic

In the Arctic, landfast ice provides a stationary base attached to the coast. It is used by local communities for hunting and travel, by marine mammals and shorebirds as a habitat, and by industry for transportation. Due to global warming, the timing of the spring breakup of the ice is becoming more irregular, which affects all of these activities. In this study, we show an example in the Canadian Arctic around the onset of the melting season, demonstrating how repeat-pass interferometry using Sentinel-1 SAR imagery can provide an early indication of upcoming landfast ice breakup. Fractures in the ice could be observed one month in advance by Fourier analysis of the fringe pattern.