CPP-08. Enhancing the Sea Ice Concentration Climate Data Record

Abstract
A climate data record (CDR) is a systematically analyzed time series of Earth science measurements that is well suited for evaluating climate variability and change. CDR production emphasizes transparency, reproducibility, consistency, and long duration (>40 years). The current sea ice concentration CDR, NOAA/NSIDC Climate Data Record of Passive Microwave Sea Ice Concentration Version 4, is a rule-based combination of ice concentration estimates from two well-established algorithms: the NASA Team (NT) algorithm and the NASA Bootstrap (BT) algorithm. It is a consistent, daily and monthly time series of sea ice concentrations from 25 October 1978 to the present for both the north and south polar regions on a 25 km polar stereo grid. The continuity of the current 25 km CDR is threatened by the aging DMSP satellites from which the input brightness temperature data are acquired. In an effort to alleviate any gaps in production of the sea ice concentration CDR, NOAA@NSIDC has developed a new enhanced CDR (ECDR) based on the AMSR series of sensors. It is “enhanced” because it is provided on a 12.5 km grid and has improved weather filters and land spill-over corrections to remove false ice as well as improvements in the code base to allow for easier addition of new passive microwave sensors as they become available. This new ECDR will ensure the longevity of the sea ice concentration CDR into the future. In addition, this new ECDR will eventually be used as the input to the Sea Ice Index which is a source of sea ice extent information for NOAA’s Arctic Report Card, NSIDC’s Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis (ASINA) blog, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. NOAA@NSIDC is planning extensive outreach and documentation prior to the switch so that scientists and the public alike are prepared for the change.