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Mapping of sea ice production in the Arctic coastal polynyas
Citation
Tamura, T and Ohshima, KI, Mapping of sea ice production in the Arctic coastal polynyas, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 116, (C7) Article C07030. ISSN 2156-2202 (2011) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2011 American Geophysical Union
Abstract
High ice production in coastal polynyas over the continental shelves in the Arctic
Ocean is responsible for the formation of cold saline water, which contributes to the
maintenance of the Arctic Ocean halocline. The accurate detection of coastal polynyas,
including an estimate of thin ice thickness, is essential for the estimation of sea ice
production. This paper presents an algorithm that estimates thin ice thickness using Special
Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data in the Arctic Ocean. Detection and estimation
of sea ice thicknesses of <0.15 m are based on the SSM/I 85 and 37 GHz polarization
ratios (PR85 and PR37) through a comparison with sea ice thicknesses estimated from the
advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data in the three different Arctic
coastal polynyas. Thus, for the entire Arctic Ocean, the algorithm can be used for the
detection of coastal polynyas and for the estimation of sea ice production through
combination with heat]flux calculation. This study provides the first circumpolar mapping
of sea ice production in coastal polynyas over the entire Arctic Ocean. High ice production
is confined to the major Arctic coastal polynyas, with the highest ice production rate
being in the North Water Polynya. This study also presents the interannual variability of
sea ice production in the 10 major coastal polynyas from 1992 to 2007. In general,
interannual variability in sea ice production has good correlation with polynya extent
rather than surface air temperature. The mapping also provides surface heat] and salt] flux
conditions in the ice]covered region, which have not been well understood to date.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | sea ice, Arctic coastal polynyas |
| Research Division: | Earth Sciences |
| Research Group: | Oceanography |
| Research Field: | Physical Oceanography |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Other Environment |
| Objective Field: | Marine Oceanic Processes (excl. climate related) |
| Author: | Tamura, T (Dr Takeshi Tamura) |
| ID Code: | 76841 |
| Year Published: | 2011 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 41 |
| Deposited By: | CRC-Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems |
| Deposited On: | 2012-03-14 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
| Downloads: | 1 View Download Statistics |
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