Analysis of Summer 2002 Melt Extent on the Greenland Ice Sheet Using MODIS and SSM/I Data

摘要

Previous work using data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM) has shown that the summer of 2002 had the greatest melt extent ever recorded using passive-microwave data. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt completely, as has happened in the past, it would contribute approx. 6.5 m of water to sea level, thus analysis of snow-melt pattern and trends on the Greenland ice sheet are of great importance. Moreover, surface melt can act to enhance the flow of outlet glaciers through crevasse overdeepening and contribute to the very rapid thinning of outlet glaciers. In this paper, we explore the relationship between the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MOD1S)-derived 0 deg. C isotherm and SSM-derived maximum melt zones for the period 26 July--1 August 2002.