Sensitivity of the Arctic Sea Ice Cover to the Summer Surface Scattering Layer
[1];
[1];
[2];
[3];
[4];
[5]
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
- WSL Snow and Avalanche Research Centre, Davos (Switzerland)
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)
- Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); NOAA Physical Sciences Lab., Boulder, CO (United States)
Abstract The “surface scattering layer” (SSL) is the highly‐scattering, coarse‐grained ice layer that forms on the surface of melting, drained sea ice during spring and summer. Ice of sufficient thickness with an SSL has an observed persistent broadband albedo of ∼0.65, resulting in a strong influence on the regional solar partitioning. Experiments during the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of the Arctic Climate expedition showed that the SSL re‐forms in approximately 1 day following manual removal. Coincident spectral albedo measurements provide insight into the SSL evolution, where albedo increased on sunny days with higher solar insolation. Comparison with experiments in radiative transfer and global climate models show that the sea ice albedo is greatly impacted by the SSL thickness. The presence of SSL is a significant component of the ice‐albedo feedback, with an albedo impact of the same order as melt ponds. Changes in SSL and implications for Arctic sea ice within a warming climate are uncertain.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division; USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0021341
- OSTI ID:
- 1870289
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1867329
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 49, Issue 9; ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Arctic sea ice albedo: Spectral composition, spatial heterogeneity, and temporal evolution observed during the MOSAiC drift
Rain on snow (ROS) understudied in sea ice remote sensing: a multi-sensor analysis of ROS during MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate)