Taking the pulse of an iceberg

A scientist at Rochester Institute of Research is giving NASA better tools for assessing changes in the fragile polar region. John Kerekes won a three-year, $561,130 grant from NASA to help the space agency's scientists better interpret remotely sensed data collected with laser light.

The research -- known as lidar or light detection

The research -- known as lidar or "light detection and ranging" -- measures altitude by shooting pulses of laser light, or photons, at a target. The light pulses reach the surface and bounce back to the sensor. The detector measures the distance traveled and forms an image of the shape pulse by pulse. The processed data creates three-dimensional renderings or digital elevation maps that scientists can use to measure changes in the polar ice. Future NASA missions, just as the upcoming Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, will use lidar devices. Slated for launch in 2016, ICESat-2 will measure ice-surface topography and assess changes to Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and sea ice.

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