Decay of the sea ice in the North Water area: Observation of ice cover in Landsat imagery

Abstract

The sea ice distribution in and around the North Water was observed by using satellite imagery obtained by Landsat. The observed data for 1973 were used to describe the decay of the ice cover in the area. The surface of the North Water did not seem to be open throughout the winter but rather to be mostly covered by a thin layer of pack ice. The entire decay began earlier in the spring because the ice present at the beginning of the decay period was relatively thin. The sea surface in the North Water lost ice cover earlier than the surrounding area. Open water was thus observed in spring when the ice cover at similar latitude was still complete. The mechanism of decay itself did not indicate any peculiarity.