C023-06
The impact of assimilating sub-grid scale sea ice thickness distribution derived from Cryosat-2 observations into a stand-alone sea ice model

Wednesday, 9 December 2020: 05:50
Virtual
Nicholas Williams1, Nicholas Byrne2, Daniel Lee Feltham1, Peter Jan van Leeuwen3, Ross Bannister2, David Schroeder1 and Andrew Shepherd4, (1)University of Reading, Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Meteorology, Reading, RG6, United Kingdom, (2)University of Reading, Department of Meteorology, Reading, United Kingdom, (3)Colorado State University, Atmospheric Science, Fort Collins, CO, United States, (4)University of Leeds, Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, School of Earth and Environment, Leeds, United Kingdom
Recorded Presentation
Abstract:
We have coupled a modified, standalone version of the Los Alamos Sea Ice Model (CICE) to the Parallelized Data Assimilation Framework (PDAF) to produce a working sea ice data assimilation system CICE-PDAF, assimilating both sea ice concentration and thickness. In this study we investigate the feasibility of assimilating sub-grid scale sea ice thickness distributions derived from Cryosat-2 Arctic sea ice thickness estimates into CICE-PDAF. The sub-grid scale ice thickness distribution is a key component of large scale sea ice models, playing a vital role in the dynamical and thermodynamic processes necessary to produce good estimates of the sea ice state, however the true state of the ice thickness distribution is not well-known. Here we look at how assimilating sub-grid scale sea ice thicknesses can affect CICE estimates of the evolution of the sea ice state in the Arctic.
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