Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Ice-Albedo Feedback Processes in the Arctic Basin

Our overall goal is to develop a quantitative understanding of processes that collectively make up the ice-albedo feedback mechanism. This mechanism is generally believed to be a key factor in amplifying natural variations within the earth's climate system. Central to achieving this understandi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maykut, Gary A, Grenfell, Thomas C
Other Authors: WASHINGTON UNIV SEATTLE DEPT OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2003
Subjects:
Meteorology
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
*ALBEDO
*FEEDBACK
*SEA ICE
ARCTIC OCEAN
CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
HEAT FLUX
ICE FORMATION
MASS
MELTING
PACK ICE
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SUMMER
THICKNESS
ICE COVER
ICE MASS BALANCE
ICE PACK
MASS FLUX
MELT PONDS
SHORTWAVE RADIATION
SURFACE MELT WATER
UPPER OCEAN
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
albedo
Arctic Basin
Climate change
Ice
ice pack
permafrost
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA615526
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA615526
Description
Summary:Our overall goal is to develop a quantitative understanding of processes that collectively make up the ice-albedo feedback mechanism. This mechanism is generally believed to be a key factor in amplifying natural variations within the earth's climate system. Central to achieving this understanding is learning more about how shortwave radiation is absorbed and distributed in the ice pack and upper ocean, and how this distribution affects the regional heat and mass balance of the ice cover. Complicating the problem are a variety of issues related to the extreme sub-grid scale variability of the Arctic ice cover and to how such variability can be accounted for in large-scale models. Our long-term goal is to develop accurate formulations of major ice-albedo feedback processes in a form suitable for inclusion in climate and general circulation models.

Similar Items