Real-time Sea Ice Variations in the Antarctic
This week we grabbed data involving current sea-ice concentration. The link elow is an animation showing the variation in sea ice surrounding the Antarctic up to date. Notice the circulatory pattern in the sea ice variation. We made a hypothesis that this pattern was due to the ACC because the concentration in sea ice starts dense in one part of the animation and noticeably circles around the Antarctic. However, notice the sea ice concentration in the Weddell Sea. The amount of sea ice remains relatively constant up until the last day of the animation. We figured this may be due to the actual peninsula blocking most of the ACC and so it never really picks up that concentration in that cut-out.
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/
We also pulled this image (below) to compare what we saw in the animation to what the NSIDC has. Between the two images, they look pretty similar. The animation not only matches NSIDC's image, but it also gives you the amount of concentration and this is pretty useful when the gliders are deployed in October.
We also were able to find another source to compare the real-time data we got from other sites. Below is the latest image from NOAA. As you can see, it looks very similar to what we found from NSIDC and also from the animation.
http://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/southern_hemisphere_multisensor.html
Our group will continue to examine satellite images, providing real-time data for everyone to see in the WAP and to keep the Palmer team aware of the conditions when they make the trip in October.
-Colin, Rachel, Eric
Tags: ACC, Antarctica, Sea Ice, WAP