2021 updated analysis of the sea ice concentration (SIC) in research blocks 4 (RB4), and 5 (RB5) of Subarea 48.6 with sea surface temperature (SST) and winds

Abstract

In RB5, the SICs in Feb. 2021 were the highest and the SSTs were the lowest for the years 2016-2021. In March 2021, the highest SICs decreased to nearly the longterm average while the SST increased accordingly. In the same year, the SICs and SSTs had two peaks in Feb. and March respectively. In RB4, the SICs during Jan.- Feb (Austral summer) in 2021 were also the highest since 2016. The sharp spikes of SST (rapid increasing SST) had become smaller year by year from 2017 to 2021, which indicates that the SSTs had a cooling phase in 5-6 year periodical cycles corresponding to an increasing trend in SICs. Spatial dynamics of SICs with SSTs contour of -1.8°C and -0.8°C were analyzed. It was found that the ice edges are at approximately -1.8°C and partially broken ices exist between -1.8°C and -0.8°C when comparing imagery by GIBS and SICs distribution by AMSRs with SSTs by NOAA. Daily wind stick plots indicate that the eastward winds could encourage the off-shore Ekman transport at the end of Feb. and the beginning of Mar. which resulted in late (slow) ice retrieval in 2021.