The Spatial and Temporal Variation of Sea Ice Thickness and Volume Around Antarctica

Keywords: sea ice, antarctica, climate
Session Type: Virtual Guided Poster Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 40

Abstract

Studies examining sea ice thickness and volume are very limited. Sea ice thickness (SIT) can provide a more accurate measure of the energy flux exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere. Using satellite altimetry data from Envisat and Cryosat-2 measurements - this study analyses changes in Antarctic Sea ice thickness and volume over a 15-year period from 2003-2018. To understand the potential drivers of sea ice volume, this paper also considers ways in which sea ice volume relates to surface air temperature and sea level pressure in different sea ice sectors over the 15-year period. Sea ice volume (SIV) is calculated as the product of SIT and sea ice area (SIA). Our results show that SIT and SIV exhibit strong regional variation at timescales ranging from monthly to interannual. Sea ice volume exhibits strong interannual variation over Western Antarctica, and to a lesser extent, Eastern Antarctica. SIT is more variable along the sea ice edge, while the thickest ice is near the continent. There is consistently greater volume and thicker sea ice in Western Antarctica- the Weddell, and Amundsen-Bellingshausen Seas in particular. While there is largely a positive correlation between SIA and SIT around Antarctica, there is a negative correlation between SIA and SIT in regions with consistently larger SIV. This suggests there are other factors contributing to growth in SIV in these regions.