Arctic sea ice drift from wavelet analysis of NSCAT and special sensor microwave imager data

Abstract

Wavelet analysis of NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) backscatter and DMSP special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) radiance data can be used to obtain daily sea ice drift information for the Arctic region. This technique provides improved spatial coverage over the existing array of Arctic Ocean buoys and better temporal resolution over techniques utilizing data from satellite synthetic aperture radars. Comparisons with ice motion derived from ocean buoys give good quantitative agreement. Both comparison results from NSCAT and SSM/I are compatible, and the results from NSCAT can definitely complement that from SSM/I when there are cloud or surface effects. Then, three sea ice drift daily results from NSCAT, SSM/I, and buoy data can be merged as a composite map by some data fusion techniques. The ice flow streamlines are highly correlated with surface air pressure contours. Examples of derived ice drift maps in December 1996 illustrate large-scale circulation reversals over a period of 4 days. These calibrated/validated results indicate that NSCAT, SSM/I merged daily ice motions are suitably accurate to identify and closely locate sea ice processes and to improve our current knowledge of sea ice drift and related processes through the data assimilation of ocean-ice numerical model. Copyright 1999 by the American Geophysical Union.