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Recent Trends of Arctic and Antarctic Summer Sea-Ice Cover Observed from Space-Borne Scatterometer

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Abstract

Long term variations in Sea ice distribution strongly influence the atmosphere and ocean in the polar regions. In the recent period significant variations in sea ice cover have been observed in both the hemispheres. In the past, studies have been carried out that report the trends either at the Arctic/Antarctic level or at sector level. However, only a few studies have concentrated on the investigation of trends at grid level using scatterometer data. The present study focuses on the investigations of the sea ice trend at 1 × 1 degree grid level over the period 2000–2007 using QuickSCAT 0.2-degree resolution Scatterometer data. It was observed that in the Arctic overall monthly trend is negative in all the sectors, with the Arctic level decline of 3.26% per year. In the Antarctic, region-wise different trends have been observed. Negative trend is observed in the Amundsen- Bellingshausen Seas and also in the Indian Ocean sector near the continental Ice shelves. It was highlighted that significant trends exists within the pockets of marginal seas.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the suggestions and encouragement provided by R. R. Navalgund, Director, Space Applications Centre (SAC). The guidance provided by J. S. Parihar and Pradip K. Pal (SAC), are thankfully acknowledged. QuikSCAT sigma-0 data are obtained from the NASA sponsored Scatterometer Climate Record Pathfinder at Brigham Young University through the courtesy of David G. Long (http://www.scp.byu.edu). Sea-ice climatology and near-real time data were obtained from NSIDC website http://nsidc.org. The critical comments provided by M. Chakraborty (SAC) are thankfully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, 380 015, India

    Sandip R. Oza, R. K. K. Singh, N. K. Vyas & Abhijit Sarkar

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  1. Sandip R. Oza
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  2. R. K. K. Singh
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  3. N. K. Vyas
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  4. Abhijit Sarkar
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Correspondence to Sandip R. Oza.

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Oza, S.R., Singh, R.K.K., Vyas, N.K. et al. Recent Trends of Arctic and Antarctic Summer Sea-Ice Cover Observed from Space-Borne Scatterometer. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 38, 611–616 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-011-0071-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-011-0071-9

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