A first look at comparing ice thickness from two sources, 1996–1998

• Main Author: Ballagh, Lisa M.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Colorado at Boulder 2007
• Subjects: Geography; Arctic; Climate change; National Snow and Ice Data Center
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1446086

Ice thickness measurements in the Arctic are difficult to obtain since satellites do not capture essential information about ice thickness. Although ice thickness data exist, they are often sparse both spatially and temporally, and sometimes are not well documented. For this reason, submarine data that capture ice draft, or the depth from the water line to the bottom of the ice, are considered a reliable source of data in terms of ice thickness since ice draft constitutes approximately 89% of total ice thickness (Wensnahan et al., 2007). This study compares ice thickness derived from two sources, submarine data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and ice charts from the National Ice Center (NIC) that provide ice categories. If ice thickness is better understood, climate models can be improved and knowledge about how ice volume changes in the Arctic can help us better understand global climate change.