Abstract Title: Comparison of ICESat-2 and SMOS sea ice thickness in the Ross Sea
Abstract Submitted to: CRYOSPHERE SCIENCES
Abstract Text:
Sea ice production in Antarctic coastal polynyas is an important driver of the sea ice thickness distribution, water mass modification, and ecosystem dynamics. Both ICESat-2 and spaceborne L-band radiometers such as the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite (SMOS) offer potential to directly measure sea ice thickness in the outlets of polynyas. However, SMOS sea ice thickness has not been validated in the Antarctic, and ICESat-2 data is sparse in polynya regions. In this analysis, SMOS sea ice thickness data is compared to ICESat-2 freeboard in and around Antarctic polynyas to validate SMOS and examine the potential impact of snow on estimates of thickness from both satellites. For the Ross Sea Polynya, direct comparisons, case studies of freeboard and thickness evolution, and an estimation of snow depth were performed. In general, ICESat-2 freeboards in the polynya region are slightly higher than expected compared to in situ estimates. SMOS is found to provide an underestimation of sea ice thickness in the coastal Ross Sea, likely due to the impact of snow cover and sea ice surface flooding. Qualitative case studies suggest that SMOS thickness estimates may be accurate in cases of newly formed ice with minimal snow accumulation. Comparing SMOS thickness and ICESat-2 freeboard suggests that snow depth forms a significant portion of the sea ice freeboard, consistent with in situ observations, so that sea ice thickness estimates from ICESat-2 are challenging for thin ice. We suggest that an algorithm that combines SMOS and ICESat-2 would have potential to provide estimates of thin ice thickness and snow cover in the Antarctic.
What Winning This Award Means to Me:
It is such an incredible honor to be awarded a Student Travel Grant to attend the 2022 Fall Meeting. Attending the Fall Meeting will be such an integral part of my scientfic career. This will be my first in-person conference I've been able to attend due to the circumstances of the pandemic. I am excited to share my research with the community and have that direct engagement. Additionally, this conference will be a fantastic networking opportunity to get insight to the many research areas in climate and earth sciences across the country and the world. In the future I am hoping to attend graduate school in order to increase the impact I am able to contribute towards research of the climate. With this opportunity, I will be able to network with potential graduate school advisors and possible future colleagues. Overall, I am so grateful for this award and hope to be able to take full advantage of the opportunities it provides.
Madeline Sowinski
Description
Funded by:
Current Institute of Study/Organization: Hamline University
Currently Pursuing: Bachelor's
Country: US