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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH,
VOL. 111,
C02001,
17 PP., 2006
doi:10.1029/2004JC002818
Modeling the summertime evolution of sea-ice melt ponds
Ørsted-DTU, Electromagnetic Systems, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Space and Climate Physics, University College London, London, UK
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Space and Climate Physics, University College London, London, UK
Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
We present a mathematical model describing the summer melting of sea ice. We simulate the evolution of melt ponds and determine area coverage and total surface ablation. The model predictions are tested for sensitivity to the melt rate of unponded ice, enhanced melt rate beneath the melt ponds, vertical seepage, and horizontal permeability. The model is initialized with surface topographies derived from laser altimetry corresponding to first-year sea ice and multiyear sea ice. We predict that there are large differences in the depth of melt ponds and the area of coverage between the two types of ice. We also find that the vertical seepage rate and the melt rate of unponded ice are important in determining the total surface ablation and area covered by melt ponds.
Received 24 November 2004; accepted 11 August 2005; published 2 February 2006.
Citation: (2006), Modeling the summertime evolution of sea-ice melt ponds, J. Geophys. Res., 111, C02001, doi:10.1029/2004JC002818.
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