Estimating summer ocean heating in the arctic ice pack using high-resolution satellite imagery
Loading...
Authors
Heiles, Ander S.
Subjects
Arctic Ocean
Autonomous Ocean Flux Buoy
Beaufort Sea
Departure From Freezing
Heat Content
Heat Flux
High Resolution Satellite Imagery
Ice Concentration
Ice-Ocean Boundary Layer
Ice Tethered Profiler Meltpond
Meltpond Fraction
Open Water Fraction
Autonomous Ocean Flux Buoy
Beaufort Sea
Departure From Freezing
Heat Content
Heat Flux
High Resolution Satellite Imagery
Ice Concentration
Ice-Ocean Boundary Layer
Ice Tethered Profiler Meltpond
Meltpond Fraction
Open Water Fraction
Advisors
Stanton, Timothy P.
Date of Issue
2014-09
Date
Sep-14
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Recent observations have shown that the sea ice coverage and thickness in the Arctic Ocean is significantly decreasing. Areas of the Arctic that have traditionally been covered year-round with thick multiyear ice are being replaced by thinner first-year ice and open water. This results in increased amounts of solar radiation being absorbed and stored as heat in the upper ocean, where it is available for enhanced basal melting of sea ice. Measurements from Autonomous Ocean Flux Buoys (AOFBs) and Ice-Tethered Profilers (ITPs) were correlated to determine the ocean properties of the ice-ocean boundary layer (IOBL). High-resolution satellite imagery was processed to determine sensor positions within the image. Heat content of the IOBL was calculated by vertically integrating the departure from freezing for the time series along the AOFB drift track. This study represents one of the first attempts to quantify local open water fraction and upper ocean heat content using 1-meter pixel resolution imagery. Results indicate that the use of high-resolution satellite imagery can be used to accurately quantify local open water fraction. Approach was evaluated and validated against open water fraction, heat content, and heat flux measurements with promising results.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.