TITLE:   Palmer LTER: Sea Ice Coverage in the LTER Region

AUTHORS: Stammerjohn, S. E. and R. C. Smith

DATE:    1995

JOURNAL: Antarctic Journal  of the United States, (accepted).
         Palmer LTER Contribution No. 90


ABSTRACT:  Spatial and temporal variability of ice coverage 
in the LTER large-scale study region has been analyzed 
from 1973 to 1994 using surface sea ice concentrations derived 
from passive microwave satellite data.  The passive microwave
satellite data have been made available by the National Snow and Ice
Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado and involve three datasets in
conjunction with three passive microwave radiometers used to collect
the data:  the Electrically Scanned Microwave Radiometer (ESMR,
1973-76), the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR,
1978-87), and the Special Sensor Microwave/Imagers (SSM/I, 1987- ).
Efforts are being taken to fill in data gaps in the earlier record
between 1973-78 using Navy/NOAA Joint Ice Data analyses.  Higher
resolution visible and infrared satellite data (on the order of 1 km
versus 25-50 km for passive microwave) have also been analyzed when
clear sky conditions permit detection of the surface.  A TeraScan
system at Palmer Station captures AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution
Radiometer), OLS (Operational Line Scanner) and SSM/I 85 GHz data of
the Peninsula region which are then archived and distributed by the
Antarctic Research Center (ARC).