As NSIDC reflects on 50 years in operation, past and present NSIDC researchers round up their favorite and most impactful publications. Also included are NSIDC contributions to annual reports: the Arctic Report Card and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society’s State of the Climate.
John Cassano
Cassano, J.J., M.A. Nigro, M.W. Seefeldt, M. Katurji, K. Guinn, G. Williams, and A. DuVivier. 2021. Antarctic atmospheric boundary layer observations with the Small Unmanned Meteorological Observer (SUMO). Earth System Science Data 13: 969-982. doi:10.5194/essd-13-969-2021.
Rinke, A., J.J. Cassano, E.N. Cassano, R. Jaiser, and D. Handorf. 2021. Meteorological conditions during the MOSAiC expedition: Normal or anomalous? Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 9(1): 00023. doi:10.1525/elementa.2021.00023.
Jozef, G.C., J.J. Cassano, S. Dahlke, M. Dice, C.J. Cox, and G. de Boer. 2024. An overview of the vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer in the central Arctic during MOSAiC. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 24: 1429-1450. doi:10.5194/acp-24-1429-2024.
Valkonen, E., J. Cassano, E. Cassano, M. Seefeldt, and C. Parker. 2025. CMIP6 representation of declining sea ice and Arctic cyclones in the current climate. Journal of Geophysical Research 130: e2024JD042388. doi:10.1029/2024JD042388.
Zhang, C., J.J. Cassano, M. Seefeldt, H. Wang, W. Ma, and W.-W. Tung. 2025. Quantifying the impacts of atmospheric rivers on the surface energy budget of the Arctic based on reanalysis. The Cryosphere 19: 4671-4699. doi:10.5194/tc-19-4671-2025.
Florence Fetterer
Walsh, J.E., F. Fetterer, J.S. Stewart, and W.L. Chapman. 2017. A database for depicting Arctic sea ice variations back to 1850. Geographical Review 107. doi:10.1111/j.1931-0846.2016.12195.x.
Posey P.G., E.J. Metzger, A.J. Wallcraft, D.A. Hebert, R.A. Allard, O.M. Smedstad, M.W. Phelps, F. Fetterer, J.S. Stewart, W.N. Meier, and S.R. Helfrich. 2015. Improving Arctic sea ice edge forecasts by assimilating high horizontal resolution sea ice concentration data into the US Navy's ice forecast systems. Cryosphere 9: 1735-1745. doi:10.5194/tc-9-1735-2015.
Mahoney, A.R., R.G. Barry, V. Smolyanitsky, and F. Fetterer. 2008. Observed sea ice extent in the Russian Arctic, 1933–2006. Journal of Geophysical Research 113: C11005. doi:10.1029/2008JC004830.
Siri Jodha Singh Khalsa
Khalsa, S.J.S. , M.B. Dyurgerov, T. Khromova, B.H. Raup, and R.G. Barry. 2004. Space-based mapping of glacier changes using ASTER and GIS tools. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 42(10): 2177-2183. doi:10.1109/TGRS.2004.834636.
Raup, B., A. Kääb, J.S. Kargel, M.P. Bishop, G. Hamilton, E. Lee, F. Paul, F. Rau, D. Soltesz, S.J.S. Khalsa, M. Beedle, and C. Helm. 2007. Remote sensing and GIS technology in the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) Project. Computers & Geosciences 33(1): 104-125. doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2006.05.015.
Alia Khan
Armstrong, R.L., K. Rittger, M. J. Brodzik, A. Racoviteanu, A. P. Barrett, S.J.S. Khalsa, B. Raup, A.F. Hill, A.L. Khan, A.M. Wilson, R.B. Kayastha, F. Fetterer, and B. Armstrong. 2019. Runoff from glacier ice and seasonal snow in High Asia: separating melt water sources in river flow. Regional Environmental Change 19: 1249-1261. doi:10.1007/s10113-018-1429-0.
Khan, A.L., S. Wagner, R. Jaffe, P. Xian, M. Williams, R. Armstrong, and D. McKnight. 2017. Dissolved black carbon in the global cryosphere: Concentrations and chemical signatures. Geophysical Research Letters 44: 6226-6234. doi:10.1002/2017GL073485.
Khan, A.L. H.M. Dierssen, T.A. Scambos, J. Höfer, and R.R. Cordero. 2021. Spectral characterization, radiative forcing and pigment content of coastal Antarctic snow algae: approaches to spectrally discriminate red and green communities and their impact on snowmelt. The Cryosphere 15: 133-148. doi:10.5194/tc-15-133-2021.
Healy, S.M., and A.L. Khan. 2023. Albedo change from snow algae blooms can contribute substantially to snow melt in the North Cascades, USA. Communications Earth & Environment 4: 142. doi:10.1038/s43247-023-00768-8.
Walt Meier
Stroeve, J., M.M. Holland, W. Meier, T. Scambos, and M. Serreze. 2007. Arctic sea ice decline: Faster than forecast. Geophysical Research Letters 34: L09501. doi:10.1029/2007GL029703.
Stroeve, J.C., V. Kattsov, A. Barrett, M. Serreze, T. Pavlova, M. Holland, and W.N. Meier. 2012. Trends in Arctic sea ice extent from CMIP5, CMIP3 and observations. Geophysical Research Letters 39: L16502, doi:10.1029/2012GL052676.
Meier, W.N., A. Petty, S. Hendricks, A. Bliss, L. Kaleschke, D. Divine, S. Farrell, S. Gerland, D. Perovich, R. Ricker, X. Tian-Kunze, and M. Webster. 2025. Sea Ice. Arctic Report Card 2025 doi:10.25923/mmxf-0r86.
Meier, W.N., D. Gallaher, and G.G. Campbell. 2013. New estimates of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent from recovered Nimbus I satellite imagery. The Cryosphere 7: 699-705. doi:10.5194/tc-7-699-2013.
Meier, W.N., G. Hovelsrud, B. van Oort, J. Key, K. Kovacs, C. Michel, M. Granskog, S. Gerland, D. Perovich, A.P. Makshtas, and J. Reist. 2014. Arctic sea ice in transformation: A review of recent observed changes and impacts on biology and human activity. Reviews of Geophysics 52, 185–217. doi:10.1002/2013RG000431.
Meier, W.N., J.S. Stewart, A. Windnagel, and F.M. Fetterer. 2022. Comparison of hemispheric and regional sea ice extent and area trends from NOAA and NASA passive microwave-derived climate records. Remote Sensing 14(3): 619. doi:10.3390/rs14030619.
Meier, W.N., J. Stroeve, and F. Fetterer. 2007. Whither Arctic sea ice? A clear signal of decline regionally, seasonally and extending beyond the satellite record. Annals of Glaciology 46: 428-434. doi:10.3189/172756407782871170.
Twila Moon
Laidre, K.L., M.A. Supple, E.W. Born, E.V. Regehr, Ø. Wiig, F. Ugarte, J. Aars, R. Dietz, C. Sonne, P. Hegelund, C. Isaksen, G.B. Akse, B. Cohen, H.L. Stern, T. Moon, C. Vollmers, R. Corbett-Detig, D. Paetkau, and B. Shapiro. 2022. Glacial ice supports a distinct and undocumented polar bear subpopulation persisting in late 21st-century sea-ice conditions. Science 376(6599): 1333-1338. doi:10.1126/science.abk2793.
Moon, T.A., D.A. Sutherland, D. Carroll, D. Felikson, L. Kehrl, and F. Straneo. 2017. Subsurface iceberg melt key to Greenland fjord freshwater budget. Nature Geoscience 11: 49-54. doi:10.1038/s41561-017-0018-z.
Moon, T.A., I. Overeem, M. Druckenmiller, M. Holland, H. Huntington, G. Kling, A.L. Lovecraft, G. Miller, T. Scambos, C. Schädel, E.A.G. Schuur, E. Trochim, F. Wiese, D. Williams, and G. Wong. 2019. The expanding footprint of rapid Arctic change. Earth’s Future 7: 212-218. doi:10.1029/2018EF001088.
Siegert, M., H. Sevestre, M.J. Bentley, J. Brigham-Grette, H. Burgess, S. Buzzard, M. Cavitte, S.L. Chown, F. Colleoni, R.M. DeConto, H.A. Fricker, E. Gasson, S.M. Grant, A.M. Gulisano, S. Hancock, K.R. Hendry, S.F. Henley, R. Hock, K.A. Hughes, D. Karentz, J.D. Kirkham, B. Kulessa, R.D. Larter, A., Mackintosh, V. Masson-Delmotte, F.S. McCormack, H. Millman, R. Mottram, T.A. Moon, T. Naish, C. Nath, B. Orlove, P. Pearson, J. Rogelj, J. Rumble, S. Seabrook, A. Silvano, M. Sommerkorn, L.A. Stearns, C.R. Stokes, J. Stroeve, and M. Truffer. 2025. Safeguarding the polar regions from dangerous geoengineering: a critical assessment of proposed concepts and future prospects. Frontiers in Science 3: 1527393. doi:10.3389/fsci.2025.1527393.
Gold A.U., E.M. Geraghty Ward, C.L. Marsh, T.A. Moon, S.W. Schoeneman, A.L. Khan, and M.K. Littrell. 2023. Measuring novice-expert sense of place for a far-away place: Implications for geoscience instruction. PLoS ONE 18(10): e0293003. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293003.
Ted Scambos
Scambos, T.A, and M.A. Fahnestock. 1998. Improving digital elevation models over ice sheets using AVHRR-based photoclinometry. Journal of Glaciology 44(146): 97-103. doi:10.3189/S0022143000002392.
Scambos, T.A., J.A. Bohlander, C.A. Shuman, and P. Skvarca. 2004. Glacier acceleration and thinning after ice shelf collapse in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters 31(18). doi:10.1029/2004GL020670.
Scambos, T.A., T.M. Haran, M.A. Fahnestock, T.H. Painter, and J. Bohlander. 2007. MODIS-based Mosaic of Antarctica (MOA) data sets: Continent-wide surface morphology and snow grain size. Remote Sensing of Environment 111(2-3): 242-257. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2006.12.020.
Scambos, T.A., R.E. Bell, R.B. Alley, S. Anandakrishnan, D.H. Bromwich, K. Brunt, K. Christianson, T. Creyts, S.B. Das, R. DeConto, and P. Dutrieux. 2017. How much, how fast?: A science review and outlook for research on the instability of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier in the 21st century. Global and Planetary Change 153: 16-34. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2017.04.008.
Scambos, T.A., G.G. Campbell, A. Pope, T. Haran, A. Muto, M. Lazzara, C.H. Reijmer, and M.R. Van den Broeke. 2018. Ultralow surface temperatures in East Antarctica from satellite thermal infrared mapping: The coldest places on Earth. Geophysical Research Letters 45(12): 6124-6133. doi:10.1029/2018GL078133.
Kevin Schaefer
Schaefer, K., T. Zhang, L. Bruhwiler, A.P. Barrett. 2011. Amount and timing of permafrost carbon release in response to climate warming. Tellus B 63: 165-180. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0889.2011.00527.x.
Liu, L., K.M. Schaefer, T. Zhang, and J. Wahr. 2012. Estimating 1992–2000 average active layer thickness on the Alaskan North Slope from remotely sensed surface subsidence. Journal of Geophysical Research 117: F01005. doi:10.1029/2011JF002041.
Schaefer, K, C.R. Schwalm, C. Williams, M.A. Arain, A. Barr, J.M. Chen, K.J. Davis, D. Dimitrov, T.W. Hilton, D.Y. Hollinger, E. Humphreys, B. Poulter, B.M. Raczka, A.D. Richardson, A. Sahoo, P. Thornton, R. Vargas, H. Verbeeck, R. Anderson, I. Baker, T.A. Black, P. Bolstad, J. Chen, P.S. Curtis, A.R. Desai, M. Dietze, D. Dragoni, C. Gough, R.F. Grant, L. Gu, A. Jain, C. Kucharik, B. Law, S. Liu, E. Lokipitiya, H.A. Margolis, R. Matamala, J.H. McCaughey, R. Monson, J.W. Munger, W. Oechel, C. Peng, D.T. Price, D. Ricciuto, W.J. Riley, N. Roulet, H. Tian, C. Tonitto, M. Torn, E. Weng, X. Zhou. 2012. A model-data comparison of gross primary productivity: Results from the North American Carbon Program site synthesis. Journal of Geophysical Research 117: G03010. doi:10.1029/2012JG001960.
Schuster, P.F., K.M. Schaefer, G.R. Aiken, R. C. Antweiler, J.F. Dewild, J.D. Gryziec, A. Gusmeroli, G. Hugelius, E. Jafarov, D.P. Krabbenhoft, L. Liu, N. Herman-Mercer, C. Mu, D.A. Roth, T. Schaefer, R.G. Striegl, K.P. Wickland, and T. Zhang. 2018. Permafrost stores a globally significant amount of mercury. Geophysical Research Letters 45:, 1463-1471. doi:10.1002/2017GL075571.
Mark Serreze
Serreze, M.C., and R.G. Barry. 2014. The Arctic Climate System. Second Edition, Cambridge University Press, 404 pp.
Serreze, M.C. 2018. Brave New Arctic: The Untold Story of the Melting North, Princeton University Press, 255 pp.
Serreze, M.C., and R.S. Bradley. 1987. Radiation and cloud observations on a high Arctic plateau ice cap. Journal of Glaciology 33: 162-168. doi:10.3189/S0022143000008649.
Serreze, M.C., Box, J.E., Barry, R.G. and Walsh, J.E. 1993. Characteristics of Arctic synoptic activity, 1952-1989. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 51: 147-164. doi:10.1007/BF01030491.
Serreze, M.C., J.E. Walsh, F.S. Chapin III, T. Osterkamp, M. Dyurgerov, V. Romonovsky, W.C. Oechel, J. Morison, T. Zhang, and R.G. Barry. 2000. Observational evidence of recent change in the northern high latitude environment. Climatic Change 46: 159-207. doi:10.1023/A:1005504031923.
Serreze, M.C., M.P. Clark, and A. Frei. 2001. Characteristics of large snowfall events in the montane western United States as examined using snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) data. Water Resources Research 37: 675-688. doi:10.1029/2000WR900307.
Serreze, M.C., A.P. Barrett, J.C. Stroeve, D.M. Kindig, and M. Holland. 2009. Emerging Arctic amplification as seen in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis. The Cryosphere 3: 9-11. doi:10.5194/tc-3-11-2009.
Serreze, M.C., E.N. Cassano, A. Crawford, J.J. Cassano, and C. Zhang. 2026. The observed evolution of Arctic amplification over the past 45 years. The Cryosphere 20: 411-425. doi:10.5194/tc-20-411-2026.
Julienne Stroeve
Stroeve, J., M.M. Holland, W. Meier, T. Scambos, and M. Serreze. 2007. Arctic sea ice decline: Faster than forecast. Geophysical Research Letters 34: L09501. doi:10.1029/2007GL029703.
Stroeve, J.C., M.C. Serreze, M.M. Holland, J.E. Kay, J. Malanik, and A.P. Barrett. 2012. The Arctic’s rapidly shrinking sea ice cover: a research synthesis. Climatic Change 110: 1005-1027. doi:10.1007/s10584-011-0101-1.
Serreze, M.C., M.M. Holland, and J. Stroeve. 2007. Perspectives on the Arctic’s shrinking sea-Ice cover. Science 315(5818): 1533-1536. doi:10.1126/science.1139426.
Serreze, M.C., A.P. Barrett, J.C. Stroeve, D.N. Kindig, and M.M. Holland. 2009. The emergence of surface-based Arctic amplification. The Cryosphere 3(1): 11-19. doi:10.5194/tc-3-11-2009.
Stroeve, J., and D. Notz. 2018. Changing state of Arctic sea ice across all seasons. Environmental Research Letters 13: 103001. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aade56.
Stroeve, J.C., V. Kattsov, A. Barrett, M. Serreze, T. Pavlova, M. Holland, and W.N. Meier. 2012. Trends in Arctic sea ice extent from CMIP5, CMIP3 and observations. Geophysical Research Letters 39: L16502
doi:10.1029/2012GL052676.
Contributions to the Arctic Report Card (ARC)
- Arctic Report Card 2026 (due out in December 2026) will be the 21st edition of the report.
- This report examines Arctic climate during the previous water year (October 1 through September 30).
- ARC comes out roughly two months after the end of the water year in question.
- ARC has been published by NOAA since 2006. The upcoming edition is to be published with support from the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
- NSIDC data sets have been used in every Arctic Report Card.
ARC authors and/or editors from NSIDC since 2006
- J.K. Andersen
- Richard Armstrong
- Matthew Druckenmiller
- Noor Johnson
- Walt Meier
- Twila Moon
- Peter Pulsifer
- Mark Serreze
- Julienne Stroeve
- Sofia Vakhutinsky
ARC topics written and/or edited by NSIDC since 2006
- Arctic Observing Network
- Community-based observing networks
- COVID-19 impact on food access
- Glaciers
- Greenland Ice Sheet
- Indigenous voices
- Permafrost
- Precipitation
- River discharge
- Sea ice
- Snow
- Vegetation
Contributions to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society State of the Climate (BAMS SotC)
- State of the Climate in 2025 (published in August 2026) is the 36th edition of the report.
- This report examines global climate during the previous calendar year (January 1 through December 31).
- SotC comes out several months after the calendar year in question.
- SotC has been published as a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society since 1996.
BAMS SotC authors and/or editors from NSIDC since 2006
- Richard Armstrong
- Garret Campbell
- Matthew Druckenmiller
- Florence Fetterer
- Terry Haran
- Walt Meier
- Twila Moon
- Allen Pope
- Ted Scambos
- Mark Serreze
- Sofia Vakhutinsky
BAMS SotC topics written and/or edited by NSIDC since 2006
- Antarctic, including surface and radiosonde observations, and ultra-low temperatures near Dome A
- Arctic, including Arctic Observing Network
- Atmospheric circulation
- Greenland Ice Sheet
- Ocean circulation
- Precipitation
- Sea ice, including concentration, duration, extent, and seasonality
- Surface air temperature