Determination of a melt-onset date for Arctic sea-ice regions using passive-microwave data

Anderson, Mark R.

doi:10.1017/s0260305500014324

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…[37] Freeze-thaw cycles are prevailing throughout the summer in the perennial Antarctic sea-ice zone, indicating that the Early Melt state according to Livingstone et al [1987] is the most dominant snowmelt feature. The Melt Onset transition, as detected on Arctic sea ice [i.e., Anderson and Crane, 1994;Anderson, 1997;Smith, 1998;Drobot and Anderson, 2001a;Belchansky et al, 2004a], however, is also found irregularly in the Antarctic but mostly limited to the marginal ice zones. Accordingly, our algorithm MeDeA does not detect melting in these regions because strong melt implies no refreezing and thus, induces low DT B A values.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This drop was detected as an indicator for the onset of snowmelt [Perovich et al, 2007;Barber et al, 1998;Winebrenner et al, 1994]. Advanced snowmelt investigations reconsider the potential of advanced channel combinations and methods to identify the melt onset stage from microwave satellite data for snow on sea ice [Anderson and Crane, 1994;Anderson, 1997;Smith, 1998;Drobot and Anderson, 2001a;Belchansky et al, 2004a], snow on ice sheets [Abdalati and Steffen, 1987;Mote and Anderson, 1995;Mote, 2007] and on continental snow cover [Koskinen et al, 1997]. Recent studies suggest the use of diurnal T B variations for snowmelt monitoring on the Greenland ice sheet [Ashcraft and Long, 2005;Tedesco, 2007].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Satellite microwave observations of the interannual variability of snowmelt on sea ice in the Southern Ocean

et al. 2009

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[1] Snowmelt processes on Antarctic sea ice are examined. We present a simple snowmelt indicator based on diurnal brightness temperature variations from microwave satellite data. The method is validated through extensive field data from the western Weddell Sea and lends itself to the investigation of interannual and spatial variations of the typical snowmelt on Antarctic sea ice. We use in-situ measurements of physical snow properties to show that despite the absence of strong melting, the summer period is distinct from all other seasons with enhanced diurnal variations of snow wetness. A microwave emission model reveals that repeated thawing and refreezing cause the typical microwave emissivity signatures that are found on perennial Antarctic sea ice during summer. The proposed melt indicator accounts for the characteristic phenomenological stages of snowmelt in the Southern Ocean and detects the onset of diurnal snow wetting. An algorithm is presented to map large-scale snowmelt onset based on satellite data from the period between 1988 and 2006. The results indicate strong meridional gradients of snowmelt onset with the Weddell, Amundsen, and Ross Seas showing earliest (beginning of October) and most frequent snowmelt. Moreover, a distinct interannual variability of melt onset dates and large areas of first-year ice where no diurnal freeze thawing occurs at the surface are determined.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Satellite microwave observations of the interannual variability of snowmelt on sea ice in the Southern Ocean

et al. 2009

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“…Smith, 1998; Drobot and anderson, 2001) do not provide estimates of melt-onset and freeze-up dates for the entire arctic. the advanced horizontal range algorithm (AHRA) from Anderson (1997) and modified by Drobot and anderson (2001) only provides melt-onset dates, while the Smith (1998) algorithm calculates melt and freeze onset but is only applicable for perennial ice. Belchansky and others (2004) used a combination of pm and international arctic buoy program/polar exchange at the Sea Surface (IABP/POLES: Rigor and others, 2000) Surface air temperatures (sats) to derive a melt/freeze product that was limited to the time period of the IABP/POLES data (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent changes in the Arctic melt Season

Stroeve¹,

Markus

Meier³

et al. 2006

Ann. Glaciol.

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Melt-season duration, melt-onset and freeze-up dates are derived from Satellite passive microwave data and analyzed from 1979 to 2005 over Arctic Sea ice. Results indicate a Shift towards a longer melt Season, particularly north of Alaska and Siberia, corresponding to large retreats of Sea ice observed in these regions. Although there is large interannual and regional variability in the length of the melt Season, the Arctic is experiencing an overall lengthening of the melt Season at a rate of about 2 weeks decade–1. In fact, all regions in the Arctic (except for the central Arctic) have Statistically Significant (at the 99% level or higher) longer melt Seasons by >1 week decade–1. The central Arctic Shows a Statistically Significant trend (at the 98% level) of 5.4 days decade–1. In 2005 the Arctic experienced its longest melt Season, corresponding with the least amount of Sea ice Since 1979 and the warmest temperatures Since the 1880s. Overall, the length of the melt Season is inversely correlated with the lack of Sea ice Seen in September north of Alaska and Siberia, with a mean correlation of –0.8.

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“…Numerous algorithms have been developed for determining the timing and extent of seasonal snowmelt on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, for continental snow cover and for snow on sea ice (e.g. Hall and others, 1991; Mote and others, 1993; Ridley, 1993; Zwally and Fiegles, 1994; Abdalati and Steffen, 1995, 1997; Anderson, 1997; Cavalieri and others, 1999). The techniques presented in this paper establish a new way of monitoring melt on perennially snow-covered areas that is sensitive to diurnal variability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interannual variations of snowmelt and refreeze timing on southeast-Alaskan icefields, U.S.A.

Ramage¹,

Isacks

2003

J. Glaciol.

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Twice-daily satellite observations from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) indicate melt onset and refreeze on southeast-Alaskan icefields. Melt and refreeze are based on 37 GHz vertically polarized brightness temperatures (Tb) and diurnal-amplitude variations (DAV). Two types of melt regime have different summer characteristics. Onset is characterized by increasing average daily Tb and a switch from low- to high-amplitude DAV. Melt timing, calibrated using Juneau Icefield temperatures, correlates well with nearby stream hydrographs. Some pixels maintain high Tb throughout the melt season and return to low-amplitude DAV after melt onset. Refreeze on these pixels is identified by decrease in Tb and accompanying high-amplitude DAV. Other pixels maintain high DAV throughout the summer, indicating nocturnal refreeze. Fall refreeze is determined by the end of high-amplitude DAV. Interannual variability in melt timing and ablation-season length is high. Melt onset and refreeze timing show a regional tendency toward earlier glacier-melt onset and longer ablation seasons from 1988–98.

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Determination of a melt-onset date for Arctic sea-ice regions using passive-microwave data

Cited by 20 publications

References 8 publications

Satellite microwave observations of the interannual variability of snowmelt on sea ice in the Southern Ocean

Satellite microwave observations of the interannual variability of snowmelt on sea ice in the Southern Ocean

Recent changes in the Arctic melt Season

Interannual variations of snowmelt and refreeze timing on southeast-Alaskan icefields, U.S.A.

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