Radiative transfer in atmosphere-sea ice-ocean system

• Main Authors: Jin, Z., Stamnes, K., Weeks, W.F., Tsay, S.C.
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ;99 MATHEMATICS; COMPUTERS; INFORMATION SCIENCE; MANAGEMENT; LAW; MISCELLANEOUS; AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; CLOUDS; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; ICE; SNOW; SEAS; ALGAE; MASS BALANCE; PLANKTON; LIGHT TRANSMISSION; SCATTERING; ABSORPTION; SOLAR RADIATION; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/263523; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/263523

Radiative energy is critical in controlling the heat and mass balance of sea ice, which significantly affects the polar climate. In the polar oceans, light transmission through the atmosphere and sea ice is essential to the growth of plankton and algae and, consequently, to the microbial community both in the ice and in the ocean. Therefore, the study of radiative transfer in the polar atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean system is of particular importance. Lacking a properly coupled radiative transfer model for the atmosphere-sea ice-ocean system, a consistent study of the radiative transfer in the polar atmosphere, snow, sea ice, and ocean system has not been undertaken before. The radiative transfer processes in the atmosphere and in the ice and ocean have been treated separately. Because the radiation processes in the atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean depend on each other, this separate treatment is inconsistent. To study the radiative interaction between the atmosphere, clouds, snow, sea ice, and ocean, a radiative transfer model with consistent treatment of radiation in the coupled system is needed and is under development.