NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Passive Microwave Algorithms for Sea Ice Concentration: A Comparison of Two TechniquesThe most comprehensive large-scale characterization of the global sea ice cover so far has been provided by satellite passive microwave data. Accurate retrieval of ice concentrations from these data is important because of the sensitivity of surface flux(e.g. heat, salt, and water) calculations to small change in the amount of open water (leads and polynyas) within the polar ice packs. Two algorithms that have been used for deriving ice concentrations from multichannel data are compared. One is the NASA Team algorithm and the other is the Bootstrap algorithm, both of which were developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The two algorithms use different channel combinations, reference brightness temperatures, weather filters, and techniques. Analyses are made to evaluate the sensitivity of algorithm results to variations of emissivity and temperature with space and time. To assess the difference in the performance of the two algorithms, analyses were performed with data from both hemispheres and for all seasons. The results show only small differences in the central Arctic in but larger disagreements in the seasonal regions and in summer. In some ares in the Antarctic, the Bootstrap technique show ice concentrations higher than those of the Team algorithm by as much as 25%; whereas, in other areas, it shows ice concentrations lower by as much as 30%. The The differences in the results are caused by temperature effects, emissivity effects, and tie point differences. The Team and the Bootstrap results were compared with available Landsat, advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. AVHRR, Landsat, and SAR data sets all yield higher concentrations than the passive microwave algorithms. Inconsistencies among results suggest the need for further validation studies.
Document ID
20000038166
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Comiso, Josefino C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Cavalieri, Donald J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Parkinson, Claire L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Gloersen, Per
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes Research Publications
ISSN: 0034-4257
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available