Large-scale patterns and variability of snowmelt and parameterized surface Albedo in the Arctic basin

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Climate; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005<1109:LSPAVO>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6661983

Robinson, D A ^[1]; Serreze, M C; Barry, R G; Scharfen, G ^[2]; Kukla, G ^[3]

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1. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States)
2. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)
3. Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (United States)

Visible-band satellite imagery is used to manually map surface brightness changes over sea ice throughout the Arctic Basin from May to mid-August over a 10-yr period. These brightness changes arc primarily due to snowmelt atop the ice cover. Using image processor techniques, parameterized albedos are estimated for each brightness class. Snowmelt begins in May in the marginal seas, progressing northward with time, finally commencing near the pole in late June. Large year-to-year differences are found in the timing of melt, exceeding one month in some regions. Parameterized albedo for most regions of the pack ice exceeds 0.70 during May, declines rapidly during June, and reaches a seasonal low of between 0.40 and 0.50 by late July. For August, regional albedos, which also include areas of open water beyond the southern pack ice limit, are up to 0. 16 lower than the corresponding values for pack ice areas only. 64 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6661983
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Climate; (United States) Vol. 5:10; ISSN JLCLEL; ISSN 0894-8755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540310* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
ALBEDO
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BRIGHTNESS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ICE
IMAGE PROCESSING
MELTING
MONITORING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLAR REGIONS
PROCESSING
SATELLITES
SEAS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SNOW
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
WATER