Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval
The Weddell Sea is known to feature large openings in its winter sea ice field, otherwise known as open-ocean polynyas. An area within the Weddell Sea region that has repeatedly featured open-ocean polynyas in the past is that which encompasses the Maud Rise seamount. Within this area, after 40 year...
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Copernicus Publications
2022
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:339ff4aa695a4f5289942e332c7c15d2 2023-05-15T18:17:17+02:00 Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval A. Mchedlishvili G. Spreen C. Melsheimer M. Huntemann 2022-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 https://doaj.org/article/339ff4aa695a4f5289942e332c7c15d2 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/471/2022/tc-16-471-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/339ff4aa695a4f5289942e332c7c15d2 The Cryosphere, Vol 16, Pp 471-487 (2022) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 2022-12-31T15:05:34Z The Weddell Sea is known to feature large openings in its winter sea ice field, otherwise known as open-ocean polynyas. An area within the Weddell Sea region that has repeatedly featured open-ocean polynyas in the past is that which encompasses the Maud Rise seamount. Within this area, after 40 years of intermittent, smaller openings, a larger, more persistent polynya appeared in early September 2017 and remained open for approximately 80 d until spring ice melt. In this study we present proof that polynya-favorable activity in the Maud Rise area is taking place more frequently and on a larger scale than previously assumed. By investigating thin ( < 50 cm ) apparent sea ice thickness (ASIT) retrieved from the satellite microwave sensors Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), we find an anomaly of thin sea ice spanning an area comparable to the polynya of 2017 over Maud Rise which occurred in September 2018. In this paper, we look at sea ice above Maud Rise in August and September of 2017 and 2018 as well as all years from 2010 until 2020 in an 11-year time series. Using fifth-generation ECMWF Reanalysis (ERA5) surface wind reanalysis data, we corroborate previous findings (e.g., Campbell et al. , 2019 Francis et al. , 2019 Wilson et al. , 2019 ) on the strong impact that storm activity can have on sea ice above Maud Rise and help consolidate the theory that the evolution of the Weddell Sea polynya is controlled by local atmospheric as well as oceanographic variability. Based on the results presented, we propose that the Weddell Sea polynya, rather than being a binary phenomenon with one principal cause, is a dynamic process caused by various different preconditioning factors that must occur simultaneously for it to appear and persist. Moreover, we show that rather than an abrupt stop to anomalous activity above Maud Rise in 2017, the very next year shows signs of polynya-favorable activity that, although insufficient to open the polynya, were present in the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Weddell Sea Weddell Maud Rise ENVELOPE(3.000,3.000,-66.000,-66.000) The Cryosphere 16 2 471 487 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 A. Mchedlishvili G. Spreen C. Melsheimer M. Huntemann Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The Weddell Sea is known to feature large openings in its winter sea ice field, otherwise known as open-ocean polynyas. An area within the Weddell Sea region that has repeatedly featured open-ocean polynyas in the past is that which encompasses the Maud Rise seamount. Within this area, after 40 years of intermittent, smaller openings, a larger, more persistent polynya appeared in early September 2017 and remained open for approximately 80 d until spring ice melt. In this study we present proof that polynya-favorable activity in the Maud Rise area is taking place more frequently and on a larger scale than previously assumed. By investigating thin ( < 50 cm ) apparent sea ice thickness (ASIT) retrieved from the satellite microwave sensors Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), we find an anomaly of thin sea ice spanning an area comparable to the polynya of 2017 over Maud Rise which occurred in September 2018. In this paper, we look at sea ice above Maud Rise in August and September of 2017 and 2018 as well as all years from 2010 until 2020 in an 11-year time series. Using fifth-generation ECMWF Reanalysis (ERA5) surface wind reanalysis data, we corroborate previous findings (e.g., Campbell et al. , 2019 Francis et al. , 2019 Wilson et al. , 2019 ) on the strong impact that storm activity can have on sea ice above Maud Rise and help consolidate the theory that the evolution of the Weddell Sea polynya is controlled by local atmospheric as well as oceanographic variability. Based on the results presented, we propose that the Weddell Sea polynya, rather than being a binary phenomenon with one principal cause, is a dynamic process caused by various different preconditioning factors that must occur simultaneously for it to appear and persist. Moreover, we show that rather than an abrupt stop to anomalous activity above Maud Rise in 2017, the very next year shows signs of polynya-favorable activity that, although insufficient to open the polynya, were present in the ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
A. Mchedlishvili G. Spreen C. Melsheimer M. Huntemann |
author_facet |
A. Mchedlishvili G. Spreen C. Melsheimer M. Huntemann |
author_sort |
A. Mchedlishvili |
title |
Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
title_short |
Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
title_full |
Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
title_fullStr |
Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
title_full_unstemmed |
Weddell Sea polynya analysis using SMOS–SMAP apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
title_sort |
weddell sea polynya analysis using smos–smap apparent sea ice thickness retrieval |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 https://doaj.org/article/339ff4aa695a4f5289942e332c7c15d2 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(3.000,3.000,-66.000,-66.000) |
geographic |
Weddell Sea Weddell Maud Rise |
geographic_facet |
Weddell Sea Weddell Maud Rise |
genre |
Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 16, Pp 471-487 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/471/2022/tc-16-471-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/339ff4aa695a4f5289942e332c7c15d2 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-471-2022 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
471 |
op_container_end_page |
487 |
_version_ |
1766191411369082880 |