The 10-cm SSM/I and AMSR ice thickness algorithm: what is its value?

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The 10-cm SSM/I and AMSR ice thickness algorithm
what is its value?

• Seelye Martin
• (co-authors Robert Drucker,
• Ron Kwok, Ben Holt)

Material from http//polar.ocean.washington.edu
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Application to polynyas
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Polynya cross-section
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Northern hemisphere region of interest
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The algorithm and its advantages

• This algorithm depends only on the ratio of the
  37V and H channels,
• R37 TBV37/TBH37
• 2. The use of this ratio avoids the problems
  with the Team and other similar algorithms that
  also depend on both 18and 37 GHz, yielding a
  larger resolution, and more problems with land
  contamination..
• 3. Algorithm is validated against AVHRR ice
  thicknesses.
• 3. Algorithm gives ice thickness, as opposed to
  Cavalieri
• and Markus algorithms, which yield only the
  thin ice
• category.

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Same algorithm is applied to AMSR data, using
simultaneous AMSR/SSM/I comparison to determine
the coefficients in the thickness algorithm.
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Comparison of AMSR heat fluxes with ScanSAR
and with SSM/I obviously AMSR yields better
definition.
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SSM/I, AMSR comparison for first 90 days of 2001
Ice production in equivalent thickness (m)
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SSM/I, AMSR comparison for first 90 days of 2001
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Application to Antarctic Ross Sea ice shelf
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Test of SSM/I algorithm to Ross Sea, Figure
shows SSM/I heat flux contours over ScanSAR image
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Ross Sea ice shelf SSM/I and ScanSAR comparison
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Conclusions

• 10-cm algorithm is validated against AVHRR,
  provides good definition of polynyas, and allows
  calculation of the heat flux
• Improved AMSR resolution yields obvious benefits
• Tests of applicability come from Chukchi, Ross
  Sea.
• Even SSM/I can view small polynyas downwind of
  icebergs.
• The success of this simple algorithm bring up the
  question what is the purpose of the continued
  investigation into the properties of such large
  scale algorithms as the NASA TEAM algorithm,
  which has been under development since the early
  1980s?

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