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Diffuse attenuation coefficients for East Antarctic pack ice and snow at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 21:39 authored by Michael, KJ, Jane HigginsJane Higgins
Declining stratospheric ozone concentrations have led to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) B (UVB) radiation at the Earth’s surface, particularly in Antarctic spring time. Increased exposure to UVB radiation can decrease the productivity of sea-ice algae, as well as cause damage to organisms living in the clear water beneath the Antarctic pack ice. Conversely, sea-ice algae and other photosynthetic organisms rely on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to drive and sustain growth. Field work performed during the 2007 Australian Antarctic Program Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystem eXperiment voyage to the East Antarctic sea-ice zone allowed the estimation of diffuse attenuation coefficients for pack ice and the overlying snow at UV wavelengths (305, 313, 320, 340, 380, and 395 nm) and for PAR. The UV attenuation coefficients were 9.6–12.7 m−1 for snow and 1.57–2.05 m−1 for pack ice. The PAR attenuation coefficients were 10.5 m−1 (snow) and 1.52 m−1 (pack ice). The attenuation coefficients for erythemally weighted UVB radiation were 11.3 m−1 (snow) and 1.82 m−1 (pack ice). The analysis also estimated the reflection coefficient (albedo) of snow as 0.67 for UV wavelengths and 0.68 for PAR, but the snow cover was not always optically thick.

Funding

Department of Education, Science and Training

History

Publication title

IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Volume

52

Issue

7

Pagination

4455-4461

ISSN

0196-2892

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Ieee-Inst Electrical Electronics Engineers Inc

Place of publication

445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, USA, Nj, 08855

Rights statement

copyright 2013 IEEE

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Oceanic processes (excl. in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean)

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