Taking a look at both sides of the ice: comparison of ice thickness and drift speed as observed from moored, airborne and shore-based instruments near Barrow, Alaska. Issue 69 (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahoney, Andrew R.; Eicken, Hajo; Fukamachi, Yasushi; Ohshima, Kay I.; Simizu, Daisuke; Kambhamettu, Chandra; Rohith, M.V.; Hendricks, Stefan; Jones, Joshua
• Is Part Of: Annals of glaciology. Volume 56:Issue 69(2015)
• Page Start: 363
• Page End: 372
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: aerogeophysical measurements, -- Arctic glaciology, -- remote sensing, -- sea ice, -- sea-ice dynamics; Glaciology -- Periodicals; 551.3105 qA613
• DOI: 10.3189/2015AoG69A565
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-3055

Abstract

Abstract: Data from the Seasonal Ice Zone Observing Network (SIZONet) acquired near Barrow, Alaska, during the 2009/10 ice season allow novel comparisons between measurements of ice thickness and velocity. An airborne electromagnetic survey that passed over a moored Ice Profiling Sonar (IPS) provided coincident independent measurements of total ice and snow thickness and ice draft at a scale of 10 km. Once differences in sampling footprint size are accounted for, we reconcile the respective probability distributions and estimate the thickness of level sea ice at 1.48 ± 0.1 m, with a snow depth of 0.12 ± 0.07 m. We also complete what we believe is the first independent validation of radar-derived ice velocities by comparing measurements from a coastal radar with those from an under-ice acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). After applying a median filter to reduce high-frequency scatter in the radar-derived data, we find good agreement with the ADCP bottom-tracked ice velocities. With increasing regulatory and operational needs for sea-ice data, including the number and thickness of pressure ridges, coordinated observing networks such as SIZONet can provide the means of reducing uncertainties inherent in individual datasets.