HR: 09:15h
AN: C31B-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Evolution of Melt Pond Cover in the Beaufort/Chukchi Sea Region During Summer 2004
AU: * Tschudi, M A
EM: tschudi@ucar.edu
AF: National Center for Atmospheric Research, Research Aviation Facility 10802 Airport Court, Broomfield, CO 80021 United States
AU: Maslanik, J A
EM: james.maslanik@colorado.edu
AF: University of Colorado, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Dept. CCAR, UCB431, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AU: Perovich, D K
EM: donald.k.perovich@erdc.usace.army.mil
AF: USACE Engineering Research and Development Center, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory 72 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AB: Melt ponds appear during the onset of summer melt on Arctic sea ice, and their coverage evolves through the course of the melt season. Ponds play a critical role in the absorption of solar radiation by the ice pack, and hence the ice melt rate. The fractional coverage of melt ponds on sea ice is thus an important parameter when determining sea ice surface energy balance. A NASA-funded study examines the evolution of ponds in the Beaufort/Chukchi Sea region through the summer of 2004. Pond cover within this region is derived daily utilizing satellite (MODIS) visible and near-infrared observations. The technique to derive pond cover is augmented by comparing results of UAV digital image classification and with on-ice spectral reflectance measurements, both acquired near Barrow, Alaska during June 2004. The technique to derive the evolution of pond cover in the area of interest through summer 2004 is described, as well as spatial and temporal trends in this region.
DE: 0748 Ponds
DE: 0750 Sea ice (4540)
DE: 0758 Remote sensing
DE: 0794 Instruments and techniques
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005