Use of satellite remote sensing to monitor lead dynamics

How much radiation is reflected or absorbed at the Earth's surface is important for use in global climate models. The Earth's energy balance is determined by the spectral properties of the atmosphere and terrain surfaces. In the polar ocean, this balance is determined by the presence of open water, the thickness of sea ice, and the thickness of snow cover. Snow-covered ice causes much of the incident energy to be reflected; while, in the case of open water, a significant proportion is absorbed. Detection of and monitoring the openings in the polar pack during winter is important in assessing the coverage of open water and the production of new ice. This information is required in the study of the air-ice-ocean processes and the determination of an important contributor to ocean-atmosphere heat flux and ice-ocean brine flux. In this paper, the authors utilize multisensor observations to assess changes during the formation and closure of lead systems.