Abstract
The polar oceans are important to study because they are key components of the Earth’s climate engine. We have learned that many processes in the polar regions are highly linked to the thermohaline circulation of the World’s oceans as well as their physical, chemical and biological characteristics. The region is vast, and it is only through satellite remote sensing that we have been able to examine and investigate the mesoscale and large scale properties of many parameters in the region, including surface temperature, albedo, sea ice cover, plankton concentration and primary productivity. A brief history of the polar regions and satellite remote sensing is provided, and the role of the polar regions in the climate system is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alley RB (1985) Resolved: The Arctic controls global climate change. In: Smith WO, Grebmeier JM (Eds) Actic Oceanography: Marginal ice zones and continental shelves, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC
Broecker WS (1997) Thermohaline circulation, the Achilles heel of our climate system: Will man-made CO2 upter the current balance? Science 278(5343):1682-1588
Comiso JC (2002) A rapidly declining Arctic perennial ice cover. Geophys Res Letts 29(20), 1956, doi: 10.1029/2002GL015650
Comiso JC, Parkinson CL, Gersten R, Stock L (2008) Accelerated decline in the Arctic sea ice cover. Geophy Res Lett 35, L01703, doi: 10.1029/2007GL031972
Kellogg WW (1983) Feeback mechanisms in the climate system affecting future levels of carbon dioxide. J Geophys Res 88(C2):1263-1270
Kramer HJ (2002) Observation of the Earth and its environment: Survey of missions and sensors. Springer, Berlin, Germany
Kwok R, Comiso JC (2002) Spatial patterns of variability in Antarctic surface temperature: Connections to the Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode and the Southern Oscillation. Geophys Res Lett 29, doi:10.1029/2002GL015415
Lubin D, Massom R (2006) Polar remote sensing: volume 1: atmosphere and oceans, Springer, Chichlester, UK
Martin S (2004) An introduction to ocean remote sensing, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
Overland JE, Wang M (2005) The Arctic climate paradox: The recent decrease of the Arctic Oscillation. Geophys Res Letts 32, L06701, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021752
Stroeve J, Holland MM, Meier W, Scambos T, Serreze MC (2007) Arctic sea ice decline: Faster than forecast. Geophys Res Lett 34, L09501, doi: 10.1029/2007GL029703
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 United States Government as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Comiso, J. (2010). Background. In: Polar Oceans from Space. Atmospheric and Oceanographic Sciences Library, vol 41. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68300-3_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68300-3_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-36628-9
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-68300-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)