Baffin Bay ice drift and export: 2002–2007

Abstract

Multiyear estimates of sea ice drift in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait are derived for the first time from the 89 GHz channel of the AMSR‐E instrument. Uncertainties in the drift estimates, assessed with Envisat ice motion, are ∼2–3 km/day. A persistent atmospheric trough, between the coast of Greenland and Baffin Island, drives the prevailing southward drift pattern with average daily displacements in excess of 18–20 km during winter. Over the 5‐year record, the ice export ranges between 360 and 675 × 103 km2, with an average of 530 × 103 km2. Sea ice area inflow from the Nares Strait, Lancaster Sound and Jones Sound potentially contribute up to a third of the net area outflow while ice production at the North Water Polynya contributes the balance. Rough estimates of annual volume export give ∼500–800 km3. Comparatively, these are ∼70% and ∼30% of the annual area and volume exports at the Fram Strait.