Project Description

SSM/I Monthly Polar Gridded Sea Ice Concentration Grids

Summary:

DMSP-F8 Monthly averaged sea ice concentration grids are based on daily sea ice concentration grids generated using the NASATEAM algorithm. The product acts as a filter, masking known areas of sea ice from the AVHRR sea surface temperature retrieval algorithm, minimizing ice contamination in sea surface temperature products. Please see information on SSM/I Sea Ice Concentration Grids for Polar Regions for specific information on daily sea ice concentration grids.

1. Project Overview
2. Data Availability
3. Access
4. Principal Investigator
5. Submitting Investigator
6. References
7. Detailed Description (not available)

1.Project Overview:

In June 1993 the NSIDC DAAC received a request for an ice-edge product that could effectively mask sea ice concentrations from a sea surface temperature retrieval algorithm being developed by the NASA EOSDIS AVHRR Pathfinder Oceans Group. NSIDC formed a working group that determined that no digital sea ice product existed that would be suitable for the AVHRR Pathfinder Group, but concluded that one could be generated from DMSP-F8 SSM/I daily sea ice concentration grids. Specifically, monthly averaged sea ice concentration grids would provide the necessary ice extent information required by the sea surface temperature retrieval algorithm, and could also be useful for modeling comparisons and inputs.

IDL procedures were used to calculate monthly averages from the daily averaged SSM/I sea ice concentration grids produced using the NASATEAM algorithm (Cavalieri and Gloersen 1984, Gloersen and Cavalieri 1986). The monthly averaged ice extent was delineated using zero, five, 10 and 15 percent as the minimum concentrations included in the averages. These four minima, or thresholds, were selected to accommodate as many potential applications as possible.

2. Data Availability:

Data is available via ftp from NSIDC; see below for contact information.

3. Access:

NSIDC User Services
National Snow and Ice Data Center
CIRES, 449 UCB
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0449 USA
phone: +1 303.492.6199
fax: +1 303.492.2468
form: Contact NSIDC User Services
e-mail: nsidc@nsidc.org