A multi-instrument approach to derive East Antarctic sea-ice dynamics

In 2014/15 we benefited from the persistent survival of some of the buoys deployed in the Weddell Sea during austral summer 2013/14 (supported by the Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Germany). Many of those survived well in 2014 and provided additional data for our analysis. Incoming data were processed to update our ice-motion information database. Furthermore, high-resolution ASAR data from Sentinel-1 has been trickling in, providing data to setup the IPADS software for this new very high resolution product. Launched in April 2014 and required to undergo three orbit maneuvers, Sentinel-1 currently remains in the ramp-up phase with limited scientific image acquisitions. It is anticipated that the background mission of Sentinel-1 will deliver on high repeat coverage of the full Antarctic sea-ice zone. This will support our current investigation into Antarctic sea-ice dynamics, were we focus on: (a) deriving the dominant modes of variability in sea-ice dynamics, (b) assess if any of these may be attributed to change in the climate system, (c) gauge the effect of the dynamical variability on sea-ice thickness and volume, and (d) to provide information on how to incorporate these processes into numerical models.

In-situ observations of Antarctic sea-ice drift together with auxiliary data have been collected during two expeditions in the Weddell Sea, supported by the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (Germany) from the RV Polarstern. Additionally remotely sensed data, acquired by the Deutsche Luftraum Behoerde have been obtained through an external grant. Together they are used to derive a baseline of sea-ice motion and deformation, including synoptic-scale as well as high-frequency processes that are contained in the available time-series. Here, the focii will be to (a) derive the dominant modes of variability in sea-ice dynamics, (b) assess if any of these may be attributed to change in the climate system, (c) gauge the effect of the dynamical variability on sea-ice thickness and volume, and (d) to provide information on how to incorporate these processes into numerical models.

In-situ and remotely sensed observations of sea-ice drift from the East Antarctic [EA] together with auxiliary data will provide a baseline of sea-ice motion and deformation, including synoptic-scale as well as high-frequency processes that are contained in the available time-series. The focii will be to (a) derive the dominant modes of variability in sea-ice dynamics, (b) assess if any of these may be attributed to change in the climate system, (c) gauge the effect of the dynamical variability on sea-ice thickness and volume, and (d) to provide information on how to incorporate these processes into numerical models.