Variations in Satellite Derived Sea Ice and Snow Coverage in the Arctic

• Main Author: Mikulak, Haylie N
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2016
• Subjects: snow coverage; sea ice; Arctic extents; Atmospheric Sciences; Climate; Meteorology; Arctic; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ucareresearch/132; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/ucareresearch/article/1134/viewcontent/UCARE_Poster.pdf

The work is an investigation on the variations of satellite derived sea ice and snow cover extents in the Arctic region from 1979-2012. The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Hemisphere Snow and Ice Earth System Data Record is examined in order to find variations of Northern Hemispheric sea ice and snow cover extents and impacts each extent may have not only on one another as well as the changing atmospheric conditions over the study period. Extent patterns and extreme circumstances defined by this study are identified in order for future studies to examine the atmospheric conditions. Conditions on Earth are continuing to change, which will have a major impact on how humans continue to inhabit the planet. This study is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the changing climate and its impacts on how the Northern Hemisphere sea ice and snow cover extents might be varying. By studying how the Arctic has already changed from 1979 to 2012, researchers can now begin to find the effect certain atmospheric conditions including precipitation, temperature, and pressure anomalies are having on the sea ice and snow cover extents. Differences in the date of maximum area and season length are only some of the variables that will be studied in order to better comprehend the modifications occurring on the Earth.