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Fram Strait sea ice volume export estimated between 2003 and 2008 from satellite data
Author(s) -
Spreen Gunnar,
Kern Stefan,
Stammer Detlef,
Hansen Edmond
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl039591
Subject(s) - freeboard , sea ice , sea ice thickness , geology , volume (thermodynamics) , satellite , altimeter , climatology , oceanography , arctic ice pack , sea ice concentration , satellite altimetry , antarctic sea ice , sea level , geodesy , physics , fluidized bed , quantum mechanics , aerospace engineering , engineering , waste management
Satellite‐based estimates of monthly sea ice volume exports through Fram Strait for the years 2003 to 2008 are presented. These are obtained from individual satellite observations of sea ice thickness, area, and drift. First, sea ice freeboard is inferred from ICESat laser altimeter observations and then converted to ice thickness estimates. Sea ice area and drift are derived from AMSR‐E 89 GHz data. Retrieved sea ice thickness estimates compare within 0.5 m with the few ULS data available in the Fram Strait. The mean, minimum, and maximum observed monthly Fram Strait sea ice volume export amounts to 217, 92, and 420 km 3 /month, respectively. In comparison to former Fram Strait sea ice volume export estimates obtained during the 1990s our estimates are slightly smaller (−33 km 3 /month) but are within the natural variability and no significant change of the total amount of Fram Strait sea ice export can be observed.