Impact of snow accumulation on CryoSat-2 range retrievals over Arctic sea ice: An observational approach with buoy data


Contact
Robert.Ricker [ at ] awi.de

Abstract

Radar altimetry measurements of the current satellite mission CryoSat-2 show an increase of Arctic sea ice thickness in autumn 2013, compared to previous years but also related to March 2013. Such an increase over the melting season seems unlikely and needs to be investigated. Recent studies show that the influence of the snow cover is not negligible and can highly affect the CryoSat-2 range retrievals if it is assumed that the main scattering horizon is given by the snow-ice interface. Our analysis of Arctic ice mass balance buoy records and coincident CryoSat-2 data between 2012 and 2014 adds observational evidence to these findings. Linear trends of snow and ice freeboard measurements from buoys and nearby CryoSat-2 freeboard retrievals are calculated during accumulation events. We find a positive correlation between buoy snow freeboard and CryoSat-2 freeboard estimates, revealing that early snow accumulation might have caused a bias in CryoSat-2 sea ice thickness in autumn 2013.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Primary Division
Programs
Primary Topic
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
38317
DOI 10.1002/2015GL064081

Cite as
Ricker, R. , Hendricks, S. , Perovich, D. K. , Helm, V. and Gerdes, R. (2015): Impact of snow accumulation on CryoSat-2 range retrievals over Arctic sea ice: An observational approach with buoy data , Geophysical Research Letters . doi: 10.1002/2015GL064081


Download
[thumbnail of grl53020.pdf]
Preview
PDF
grl53020.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview
Cite this document as:

Share
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email


Citation

Geographical region

Research Platforms

Campaigns
N/A


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item