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Sea ice

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Book cover Remote Sensing of Ice and Snow

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Abstract

Sea ice (Figs 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3) is present over approximately 13% of the Earth’s ocean surface (Weeks, 1981). It is a highly variable feature and its presence or absence at any given time has a profound effect on the Earth’s radiation budget. The albedo of ice-covered ocean is dramatically higher than that of open water. Additionally, the ice cover is an insulating layer between the ocean and atmosphere; heat loss through open water is approximately 100 times greater than heat loss through thick ice. As a consequence, leads and polynyas (linear and non-linear openings in sea ice) are significant to the energy budget of the ice-covered ocean and to local and regional climatology. Such open water areas and areas of reduced ice concentration are also important for shipping in ice-covered seas.

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Authors
  1. Dorothy K. Hall
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  2. Jaroslav Martinec
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© 1985 Chapman and Hall Ltd. and J. Martinec

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Hall, D.K., Martinec, J. (1985). Sea ice. In: Remote Sensing of Ice and Snow. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4842-6_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4842-6_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8647-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4842-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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