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Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 68. Human activities in the polar regions have undergone incredible changes in this century. Among these changes is the revolution that satellites have brought about in obtaining information concerning polar geophysical processes. Satellites have flown for about three decades, and the polar regions have been the subject of their routine surveillance for more than half that time. Our observations of polar regions have evolved from happenstance ship sightings and isolated harbor icing records to routine global records obtained by those satellites. Thanks to such abundant data, we now know a great deal about the ice-covered seas, which constitute about 10% of the Earth's surface. This explosion of information about sea ice has fascinated scientists for some 20 years. We are now at a point of transition in sea ice studies; we are concerned less about ice itself and more about its role in the climate system. This change in emphasis has been the prime stimulus for this book.
Discusses bilateral U.S./Canadian synthetic aperture radar (SAR) programme, called Free-Flying Imaging Radar Experiment (FIREX) in U.S.A. and RADARSAT in Canada.
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Data from the Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR) on the Nimbus 5 satellite are used to determine the extent and distribution of Antarctic sea ice. The characteristics of the southern ocean, the mathematical formulas used to obtain quantitative sea ice concentrations, the general characteristics of the seasonal sea ice growth/decay cycle and regional differences, and the observed seasonal growth/decay cycle for individual years and interannual variations of the ice cover are discussed. The sea ice data from the ESMR are presented in the form of color-coded maps of the Antarctic and the southern oceans. The maps show brightness temperatures and concentrations of pack ice averaged for each month, 4-year monthly averages, and month-to-month changes. Graphs summarizing the results, such as areas of sea ice as a function of time in the various sectors of the southern ocean are included. The images demonstrate that satellite microwave data provide unique information on large-scale sea ice conditions for determining climatic conditions in polar regions and possible global climatic changes.
Glaciers and sea ice are vital to sustaining aquatic ecosystems and regulating ocean water temperature. Permafrost, a type of ground ice, dramatically affects the infrastructure and agricultural output of several communities around the world. The development of these varying formations and the interplay between them and the environment are thoughtfully considered in this fascinating volume.
Based on the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Air-Sea-Ice Interaction held September 28-October 10, 1981 in Acquafredda di maratea, Italy. Intent is to present the topic of sea ice in the broad and interdisciplinary context of atmospheric and oceanographic science.