SAR imaging of waves in water and ice: Evidence for velocity bunching

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images collected over the Arctic marginal ice zone show gravity wave patterns in both the open water and the ice. Diffuse wave patterns are visible in the water at near range (small incidence angles), while more distinct wave patterns are visible in the ice across the entire swath. The wave patterns in the ice appear as bright lines rather than sinusoidal intensity variations. Additionally, the images show a periodic displacement of the ice/water boundary, apparently due to Doppler shift effects associated with the gravity wave orbital motions. These observations are interpreted as evidence for the velocity bunching effect and also illustrate the effects of random Scatterer motions in the open water.