Brief communication: Reduced bandwidth improves the depth limit of the radar coherence method for detecting ice crystal fabric asymmetry

Ice crystal orientation fabric strongly affects the viscous deformation of glacier ice. A popular technique to investigate ice fabric is radar polarimetry, often analysed using the coherence method. However, in fast-flowing areas with strong anisotropy, this method provides information of shallow areas below the surface only. This study proposes reducing radar bandwidth to enhance the depth limit for fabric asymmetry detection. Using data from two ice streams, we demonstrate that reduced bandwidth significantly increases the depth limit, depending on the centre frequency. This approach aims to improve the understanding of the spatial distribution of fabric, crucial for ice dynamics in fast-flowing regions.

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