KU researcher develops radar to measure internal layers of polar ice sheets

LAWRENCE -- A University of Kansas researcher has developed radar that will measure the internal layers of polar ice sheets. The new system will help scientists better understand the role of melting polar ice sheets in sea-level rise.

For his doctoral dissertation, Pannirselvam Kanagaratnam developed radar to map near-surface internal ice layers used to estimate snow accumulation. This snow radar coupled with ice-thickness radar will help scientists assess whether recent polar ice changes are part of a normal cycle or indicate a more significant shift in the earth's climate.

Earth scientists have theorized that water released from the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets indicates long-term global climate change, but this theory cannot yet be confirmed because of insufficient data. A rise in sea level of only a few meters would affect 60 percent of the world's population. The rate of evacuation for the 2 billion people living along the world's coasts will be determined in part by how fast the vast West Antarctica ice sheet melts.

Kanagaratnam's work recently earned him the prestigious Haglund Prize for an outstanding doctoral dissertation from the KU Graduate School. He is the first engineering student to receive the award. His dissertation describes the development of an airborne radar system to gather data about the Greenland ice sheet. He detailed the process of creating the radar, testing it and making it fully operational.

With his radar, Kanagaratnam mapped the internal layers of the ice. This will allow scientists to estimate snow accumulation rates and compare past and present rates. Kanagaratnam has made it possible to gather data relatively quickly on the ice sheets, which in the past was a time-consuming, expensive endeavor. KU radar that is carried by airplanes or rovers can gain a much broader view of the ice sheets and their activity. From this radar, scientists will better understand how the climate affects ice sheets.

Kanagaratnam and fellow researchers at the KU Information and Telecommunication Technology Center (ITTC) have worked under the guidance of Prasad Gogineni, Deane E. Ackers distinguished professor of electrical engineering and computer science at KU, to develop various radar systems. Kanagaratnam has spent the past 10 years developing radar with Gogineni as an undergraduate and graduate student.

"It is a great honor to receive this award," said Kanagaratnam, a native of Malaysia. "It is another validation of the importance of Dr. Gogineni's Greenland project. I am grateful to Dr. Gogineni for having given me the opportunity to pursue my Ph.D. Under his guidance I was able to obtain a NASA fellowship and pursue my research interest."

Kanagaratnam is continuing his work at the ITTC's Radar Systems and Remote Sensing Laboratory and was promoted to a research assistant professor position this spring. He will travel to Greenland this summer to help lead field tests for the Polar Radar for Ice Sheet Measurements (PRISM) project. He is one of the key researchers who will develop radar that measures ice thickness and determines bedrock conditions of the polar ice sheets. Gogineni and KU lead the multiyear, multimillion-dollar project.

"The award was given in recognition of the significance of his research," said Victor Frost, ITTC director. "As a research professor at ITTC, he is continuing that record of excellence."

The Dorothy Haglund Prize for an outstanding doctoral dissertation was established through the generosity of former Vice Chancellor and Dean William J. Argersinger, his wife, Marnie, and their friends, in cooperation with the KU Endowment Association. The prize was established to honor the late Dorothy Haglund, who served KU graduate students from 1940 until her retirement in 1983.

Gogineni nominated Kanagaratnam for the award. He served as Kanagaratnam's adviser during graduate school and has guided his research in radar systems. The two work together at ITTC.