Data-derived spatial-resolution errors of Antarctic sea-ice thickness

• Published in: Polar geography (1995) Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 202 - 220
• Main Authors: Stampone, Mary D., Geiger, Cathleen A., DeLiberty, Tracy L., Bernstein, E. Rachel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.09.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Marine; PS, Antarctic Ocean
• DOI: 10.1080/1088937X.2012.691120
• ISSN: 1088-937X

Uncertainties due to spatial resolution (E R ) of gridded sea-ice thickness (z) distributions remain largely unquantified. We address this issue using remotely sensed and in situ observations of the Southern Ocean (south of −60°) to determine appropriate data sources based on length scales for continental-scale sea-ice studies. Sea-ice thickness is not normally distributed such that the mean, median, and mode are distinct from each other. Averaging only retains the mean value, reducing bias and natural variability as z is aggregated to coarse resolutions. The rate of smoothing as a function of resolution influences the sea-ice thickness distribution represented by each product. Analysis of E R for 1° through 5° resolutions shows absolute E R increasing with grid-cell size and sea-ice extent in both datasets. The absolute E R for gridded thickness distribution ranges from 0.02 to 0.40 m at 1° and from 0.03 to 0.78 m at 5°. The E R value and slope (m) is lower (E R ≤0.20 m, m<0.05) for ice charts than the ship dataset (0.10 m<E R <0.80 m, m<0.17) with relative E R between datasets remaining consistent. From these results, recommendations for dataset use and future sea-ice observation frequency and distribution schemes are discussed.