Improved ICE fraction model for l-band remote sensing

L-band radiometers are used to retrieve sea surface salinity (SSS) and study the cryosphere. At high latitudes, it is frequent that both sea ice and water are present in the sensor's field of view. Accurately characterizing the scene is crucial for oceanographic and cryospheric applications. We present a model to derive the ice fraction affecting observations by the Aquarius and SMAP radiometers and discuss the impact of different types of ice on observed brightness temperatures. Our model shows improved match between brightness temperatures and ice fraction when compared to the model used previously in the Aquarius products. We will report on the feasibility and expected accuracy for an ice correction algorithm in the SSS retrieval algorithm.