Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1758
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1758
08 Aug 2023
 | 08 Aug 2023

Impact of melt pond and floe size on the optical properties of Arctic sea ice

Hang Zhang, Miao Yu, Peng Lu, Jiaru Zhou, Qingkai Wang, and Zhijun Li

Abstract. Melt ponds are usually modelled as horizontally infinite water layer overlaying on level ice. Then the albedo of summer Arctic sea ice can be determined by a linear combination of melt pond and bare ice albedo weighted by their areal coverage. However, this simulation does not reflect actual reality, in which ponds always have a limited size. In the present study, a Monte Carlo (MC) model was employed to investigate the influence of melt pond and floe size on the apparent optical properties of summer sea ice. The results showed that albedo and bottom transmittance mainly depended on the melt pond fraction (MPF) and ice thickness, respectively. The radiation absorbed by pond water depended on both pond depth and MPF. The radiation absorbed by ice depended on both pond depth and ice thickness. Two new parameters, the ratio of albedo (Kα) and transmittance (KT) of the linear combination to the MC model, are proposed to present the accuracy of the linear combination. For small-sized floe, Kα and KT decreased from 1.33 to 1.02 and from 3.96 to 1.05, respectively, as floe size increased from 2 to 40 m with an MPF of 50 %. Kα increased from 1.10 to 2.00 as MPF increased from 0 to 100 % with a floe size of 2 m. Solar radiation is more likely to penetrating into the lateral ocean in small floes than in large floes, and the small MPF, which has a high albedo, prevents solar energy from entering the floe. To reduce these uncertainties, new parameterization formulas for Kα and KT at different latitudes and different melting stages are provided. In the marginal ice zone, the average Kα and KT are about 1.03 and 1.12, respectively. During the melting season, the difference of Kα for MC model and linear combination could reach up to 34 % with the ice size 2 m for first-year ice. The results of this study can be used in future research to correct in situ data obtained via linear combination for floe sizes smaller than 20 m.

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Hang Zhang, Miao Yu, Peng Lu, Jiaru Zhou, Qingkai Wang, and Zhijun Li

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Aug 2023
  • RC2: 'Review of egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #2, 24 Aug 2023
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #3, 19 Sep 2023

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Aug 2023
  • RC2: 'Review of egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #2, 24 Aug 2023
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1758', Anonymous Referee #3, 19 Sep 2023
Hang Zhang, Miao Yu, Peng Lu, Jiaru Zhou, Qingkai Wang, and Zhijun Li
Hang Zhang, Miao Yu, Peng Lu, Jiaru Zhou, Qingkai Wang, and Zhijun Li

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Short summary
The Monte Carlo (MC) model is employed to investigate the influence of the melt pond and floe size on the apparent optical properties. The ratio of albedo Kα and transmittance KT of linear combination to MC model are proposed to determine the accuracy of the linear combination. New parameterization results for Kα and KT of different latitude and melting stage are provided. The results can be used correct the in situ data got by linear combination with floe size smaller than 20 m.