GLOBAL CLIMATE OBSERVING SYSTEM
ESSENTIAL CLIMATE VARIABLE - Sea ice |
| Domain | Oceanic | Description | Sea ice is most often thought of as a sensitive indicator to changes in the energy absorbed by the ice. It also greatly influences the surface albedo and air/sea exchanges of energy, moisture and carbon. The sea-ice distribution, including polynyas and margins also has an important influence on marine ecosystems. Changes in the distribution of sea ice affect these ecosystems and a number of activities such as shipping, logistic and tourist operations. [GCOS-195 5.3.5] |
| Sub-domain | Surface |
| Full Name | Sea ice |
| Satellite Signficant Contribution | Yes  |
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| GCOS Actions |
Action
Status* | Description | Who | Time Frame | Performance Indicator | Cost Implications |
O18
Cat-C | Plan, establish and sustain systematic in situ observations from sea-ice buoys, visual surveys (SOOP and Aircraft), and ULS in the Arctic and Antarctic. | Arctic Party research agencies, supported by the Arctic Council; Party research agencies, supported by CLIVAR Southern Ocean Panel; JCOMM, working with CliC and OOPC. | Internationally-agreed plans published by end 2010, implementation build-up through 2014 | Publication of internationally-agreed plans, establishment of agreements/frameworks | Plan and agreement of frameworks: <1M US$; Implementation: 10-30M US$ (Mainly Annex-I Parties). |
O19
Cat-B | Ensure sustained satellite-based (microwave, SAR, visible and IR) sea-ice products. | Parties’ national services, research programmes and space agencies, coordinated through the WMO Space Programme and Global Cryosphere Watch, CGMS, and CEOS; National services for in situ systems, coordinated through WCRP CliC and JCOMM. | Continuing | Sea-ice data in International Data Centres. | 1-10M US$ (Mainly by Annex-I Parties). |
O20
Cat-C | Document the status of global sea-ice analysis and reanalysis product uncertainty (via a quantitative summary comparison of sea-ice products) and to prepare a plan to improve the products. | Parties’ national agencies, supported by WCRP CliC and JCOMM Expert Team on Sea Ice (ETSI). | By end of 2011. | Peer-reviewed articles on state of sea-ice analysis uncertainty; Publication of internationally-agreed strategy to reduce uncertainty. | <1M US$ (Mainly Annex-I Parties). |
*GCOS-195 Status Categories:
Category A: Action completed, perhaps exceeding reasonable expectations. Very good progress on ongoing tasks.
Category B: Action largely completed according to expectation. Good progress on ongoing tasks.
Category C: Moderate progress overall, although progress may be good for some part of the action.
Category D: Limited progress overall, although progress may be moderate or good for some part of the action.
Category E: Very little or no progress, or deterioration rather than progress.
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| GCOS Products | |
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| CEOS Response | [O19 (O.5)]
2015 Update: The Sea Ice CCI project has developed and processed the following consistent multi-mission merged sea-ice ECV products:- Sea ice concentration based on SSM/I (F10, F11, F13, F14, F15) (1992-2008) and AMSR-E (2002-2011);
- Winter Arctic sea ice thickness and freeboard from Envisat RA-2 (2002-2012) and Antarctic freeboard for Envisat RA-2 (2002-2012)
This is being complemented by:- Sea ice concentration based on AMSR-E (2002-2011) and AMSR-2 (2013-2015);
- Arctic sea ice thickness and freeboard and Antarctic freeboard from ERS-1 RA (1993-2000), ERS-2 RA (1995-2003), Envisat RA-2 (2002-2012), Cryosat-2 SIRAL2 (2010 ->) and Arctic thin ice sea ice thickness from SMOS (2009 ->)
- Sea ice drift: algorithm inter-comparison and product specifications for a new sea ice ECV.
The data are available at the Integrated Climate Data Center (ICDC) in Hamburg: http://icdc.zmaw.de/esa-cci_sea-ice-ecv0.html?&L=1
Note: The Sea Ice Concentration products are developed in collaboration with EUMETSAT OSISAF.
See: http://esa-cci.nersc.co
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