Application of Airborne Sea Ice Observations Towards Improving Satellite-based Products

Abstract:

Recent airborne and satellite observations suggest large decreases in Arctic sea ice thickness in recent years, but uncertainty remains in terms of overall loss of ice mass versus redistribution of mass within the Arctic Basin. In general though, the combination of airborne and satellite observations tend to agree that some thinning of the ice cover has occurred. In addition to changes in ice thickness and mass, other related changes in properties are likely if the ice pack is undergoing fundamental changes such as a shift to a largely seasonal sea-ice cover. Therefore, it is imperative to utilize airborne and surface-based observations to evaluate satellite-based sea ice products and to improve algorithms that estimate sea ice properties.

Sea ice surface properties derived from NASA’s Operation IceBridge (OIB) airborne measurements are currently being used to evaluate and update Suomi-NPP VIIRS sea ice products. Estimates of ice thickness derived from the OIB observations may be used to establish a relationship between sea ice thickness and the age of the ice. Drifting buoys serve to improve errors in tracking the movement of ice parcels through Arctic waters. Future airborne measurements of spectral reflectance during the melt season will improve algorithms that estimate melt pond fraction. We present examples of airborne validation of VIIRS sea ice products, relationships between sea ice thickness estimated from OIB measurements and sea ice age, and demonstrate the need for future airborne high-resolution estimates of surface reflectance, particularly in melt ponds. OIB thickness estimates over one sea ice age cell (12.5 km box) are shown in the attached figure.