Sea Ice Melt Pond Fraction Derived From Sentinel-2 Data: Along the MOSAiC Drift and Arctic-Wide

Abstract

Melt ponds forming on Arctic sea ice in summer significantly reduce the surface albedo and impact the heat and mass balance of the sea ice. Therefore, their areal coverage, which can undergo rapid change, is crucial to monitor. We present a revised method to extract melt pond fraction (MPF) from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, which is evaluated by MPF products from higher-resolution satellite and helicopter-borne imagery. The analysis of melt pond evolution during the MOSAiC campaign in summer 2020, shows a split of the Central Observatory (CO) into a level ice and a highly deformed ice part, the latter of which exhibits exceptional early melt pond formation compared to the vicinity. Average CO MPFs are 17% before and 23% after the major drainage. Arctic-wide analysis of MPF for years 2017–2021 shows a consistent seasonal cycle in all regions and years.