Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling
Melt ponds play a crucial role in the melting of Arctic sea ice. Studying the evolution of melt ponds is essential for understanding changes in Arctic sea ice. In this study, we used a revised sea ice model to simulate the evolution of melt ponds along the MOSAiC drift at a resolution of 10 m. A nov...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/19/3748 |
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| author | Mingfeng Wang Felix Linhardt Victor Lion Natascha Oppelt |
| author_facet | Mingfeng Wang Felix Linhardt Victor Lion Natascha Oppelt |
| author_sort | Mingfeng Wang |
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| description | Melt ponds play a crucial role in the melting of Arctic sea ice. Studying the evolution of melt ponds is essential for understanding changes in Arctic sea ice. In this study, we used a revised sea ice model to simulate the evolution of melt ponds along the MOSAiC drift at a resolution of 10 m. A novel melt pond parameterization scheme simulates the movement of meltwater under the influence of gravity over a realistic sea ice topography. We evaluated different melt pond parameterization schemes based on remote sensing observations. The absolute deviation of the maximum pond coverage simulated by the new scheme is within 3%, while differences among parameterization schemes exceed 50%. Errors were found to be primarily due to the calculation of macroscopic meltwater loss, which is related to sea ice surface topography. Previous studies have indicated that sea ice with a lower surface roughness has a larger catchment area, resulting in larger pond coverage during the melt season. This study has identified an opposing mechanism: sea ice with lower surface roughness has a larger catchment area connected to the macroscopic flaws of the sea ice surface, which leads to more macroscopic drainage into the ocean and thereby a decrease in melt pond coverage. Experimental simulations showed that sea ice with 46% higher surface roughness, resulting in 12% less macroscopic drainage, exhibited a 38% higher maximum pond fraction. The presence of macroscopic flaws is related to the fragmentation of sea ice cover. As Arctic sea ice cover becomes increasingly fragmented and mobile, this mechanism will become more significant. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9290973caa8841eda0591e06ae2ac41f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj-art-9290973caa8841eda0591e06ae2ac41f2025-08-20T01:47:37ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-10-011619374810.3390/rs16193748Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and ModelingMingfeng Wang0Felix Linhardt1Victor Lion2Natascha Oppelt3Earth Observation and Modelling, Department of Geography, Kiel University, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 8, 24098 Kiel, GermanyEarth Observation and Modelling, Department of Geography, Kiel University, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 8, 24098 Kiel, GermanyEarth Observation and Modelling, Department of Geography, Kiel University, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 8, 24098 Kiel, GermanyEarth Observation and Modelling, Department of Geography, Kiel University, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 8, 24098 Kiel, GermanyMelt ponds play a crucial role in the melting of Arctic sea ice. Studying the evolution of melt ponds is essential for understanding changes in Arctic sea ice. In this study, we used a revised sea ice model to simulate the evolution of melt ponds along the MOSAiC drift at a resolution of 10 m. A novel melt pond parameterization scheme simulates the movement of meltwater under the influence of gravity over a realistic sea ice topography. We evaluated different melt pond parameterization schemes based on remote sensing observations. The absolute deviation of the maximum pond coverage simulated by the new scheme is within 3%, while differences among parameterization schemes exceed 50%. Errors were found to be primarily due to the calculation of macroscopic meltwater loss, which is related to sea ice surface topography. Previous studies have indicated that sea ice with a lower surface roughness has a larger catchment area, resulting in larger pond coverage during the melt season. This study has identified an opposing mechanism: sea ice with lower surface roughness has a larger catchment area connected to the macroscopic flaws of the sea ice surface, which leads to more macroscopic drainage into the ocean and thereby a decrease in melt pond coverage. Experimental simulations showed that sea ice with 46% higher surface roughness, resulting in 12% less macroscopic drainage, exhibited a 38% higher maximum pond fraction. The presence of macroscopic flaws is related to the fragmentation of sea ice cover. As Arctic sea ice cover becomes increasingly fragmented and mobile, this mechanism will become more significant.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/19/3748sea icemelt pondremote sensingmodeling |
| spellingShingle | Mingfeng Wang Felix Linhardt Victor Lion Natascha Oppelt Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling Remote Sensing sea ice melt pond remote sensing modeling |
| title | Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling |
| title_full | Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling |
| title_fullStr | Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling |
| title_short | Melt Pond Evolution along the MOSAiC Drift: Insights from Remote Sensing and Modeling |
| title_sort | melt pond evolution along the mosaic drift insights from remote sensing and modeling |
| topic | sea ice melt pond remote sensing modeling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/19/3748 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mingfengwang meltpondevolutionalongthemosaicdriftinsightsfromremotesensingandmodeling AT felixlinhardt meltpondevolutionalongthemosaicdriftinsightsfromremotesensingandmodeling AT victorlion meltpondevolutionalongthemosaicdriftinsightsfromremotesensingandmodeling AT nataschaoppelt meltpondevolutionalongthemosaicdriftinsightsfromremotesensingandmodeling |