Abstract
Modeling studies have shown that the Arctic is one of the most sensitive regions on Earth to global climate change due primarily to the positive feedback between surface temperature, surface albedo, and ice extent. Because in situ measurements in this harsh environment are costly, satellites are a critical source of information for monitoring and evaluating changes in the Arctic climate system. Satellite data can be used to measure polar winds, clouds, sea ice, snow cover, and glaciers. Applications of space-based imager and sounder data have shown that over the last three decades, the Arctic has warmed and become cloudier in spring and summer, but cooled and become less cloudy in winter. Arctic sea ice has declined substantially and at a greater rate than that predicted by most climate models. Snow cover has decreased in many areas, and vegetation growth has increased at high latitudes. Satellite products have also been used to demonstrate the complex feedbacks between clouds and sea ice, providing insight into the possible future state of Arctic climate.
Keywords
- Arctic Ocean
- Surface Albedo
- Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
- Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
- Cloud Fraction
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Arctic Research Office, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. David Santek and Richard Dworak contributed to the research on polar winds. Walt Meier and Don Cline provided input on sea ice and snow cover, respectively. The views, opinions, and findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or US government position, policy, or decision.
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Key, J.R., Wang, X., Liu, Y. (2013). Monitoring Change in the Arctic. In: Qu, J., Powell, A., Sivakumar, M. (eds) Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_9
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