Global Sea Ice Coverage from Satellite Data: Annual Cycle and 35-Year Trends

• Main Author: Parkinson, Claire L.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Meteorology and Climatology; Oceanography; Antarctic; Arctic; Antarc*; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20150000779

Well-established satellite-derived Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extents are combined to create the global picture of sea ice extents and their changes over the 35-yr period 1979-2013. Results yield a global annual sea ice cycle more in line with the high-amplitude Antarctic annual cycle than the lower-amplitude Arctic annual cycle but trends more in line with the high-magnitude negative Arctic trends than the lower-magnitude positive Antarctic trends. Globally, monthly sea ice extent reaches a minimum in February and a maximum generally in October or November. All 12 months show negative trends over the 35-yr period, with the largest magnitude monthly trend being the September trend, at -68,200 +/- 10,500 sq km/yr (-2.62% 6 +/- 0.40%/decade), and the yearly average trend being -35,000 +/- 5900 sq km/yr (-1.47% +/- 0.25%/decade).