Merged Analysis and Forecasting

The amount of available and reliable Earth Observations have significantly increased in the last decades thanks to continuous progress in instrumentation and data acquisition for satellite and in-situ measurements. However, they remain still too low in number and in the range of observables to determine the Earth state completely. This is especially the case for sparse observed areas as the high latitudes (Arctic and Antarctic), which are the areas of interests of our Sea Ice Section. 

Modeling techniques has been developed to complement and assist the interpretation of scientific samples and field observations. Here, we combine observations with modeling techniques to identify the leading processes determining the spatial and temporal variability of sea ice quantities, such as thickness, extent or concentration. 

The modeling techniques we use and develop, range from Lagrangian tracking of individual sea ice floes backward and forward in time (Box 1: IceTrack), 1D modeling along observed (e.g. buoys) and reconstructed (e.g. IceTrack) Lagrangian tracks (Box 2: Icepack) to advanced data assimilation techniques for forecasting sea ice conditions (Box 3: Sea Ice Forecasting).