Variations of mesoscale and large-scale sea ice morphology in the 1984 Marginal Ice Zone Experiment as observed by microwave remote sensing

• Main Authors: Campbell, W. J., Josberger, E. G., Gloersen, P., Johannessen, O. M., Guest, P. S.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1987
• Subjects: 48; Svalbard; Greenland; Fram Strait; Greenland Sea; ice pack; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19870060018

The data acquired during the summer 1984 Marginal Ice Zone Experiment in the Fram Strait-Greenland Sea marginal ice zone, using airborne active and passive microwave sensors and the Nimbus 7 SMMR, were analyzed to compile a sequential description of the mesoscale and large-scale ice morphology variations during the period of June 6 - July 16, 1984. Throughout the experiment, the long ice edge between northwest Svalbard and central Greenland meandered; eddies were repeatedly formed, moved, and disappeared but the ice edge remained within a 100-km-wide zone. The ice pack behind this alternately diffuse and compact edge underwent rapid and pronounced variations in ice concentration over a 200-km-wide zone. The high-resolution ice concentration distributions obtained in the aircraft images agree well with the low-resolution distributions of SMMR images.