Authors
Younghyun Koo (NSIDC), Walter N. Meier (NSIDC)
Abstract
Wind velocity is a significant driver of sea ice drift. In the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, the relationship between sea ice motion and wind velocity varies by time and region depending on diverse environmental conditions, such as ocean currents, sea ice concentration, and sea ice thickness. By leveraging multiple satellite remote sensing datasets, including data from passive microwave (PMW) sensors, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and the ICESat-2 laser altimeter, we examine how wind forcing on sea ice drift changes spatiotemporally in the Weddell Sea. We utilize high-resolution SAR-derived and low-resolution PMW-derived sea ice drift products and compare them with ERA5 reanalysis wind velocity fields. On average, the correlation coefficient between wind velocity and sea ice drift is approximately 0.5, with a turning angle of ~20° and a speed reduction factor around 0.2. However, this wind forcing is also influenced by sea ice conditions, such as sea ice concentration, freeboard, and surface roughness, all of which can be measured from ICESat-2.