Articles | Volume 17, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2509-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2509-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The effects of assimilating a sub-grid-scale sea ice thickness distribution in a new Arctic sea ice data assimilation system
Nicholas Williams
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
Nicholas Byrne
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
Daniel Feltham
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
Peter Jan Van Leeuwen
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Ross Bannister
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
David Schroeder
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 243, Reading, RG6 6BB, UK
Andrew Ridout
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Lars Nerger
Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
Viewed
Total article views: 5,380 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 25 Oct 2022)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,679 | 1,515 | 186 | 5,380 | 211 | 312 |
- HTML: 3,679
- PDF: 1,515
- XML: 186
- Total: 5,380
- BibTeX: 211
- EndNote: 312
Total article views: 3,676 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 27 Jun 2023)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,691 | 877 | 108 | 3,676 | 132 | 182 |
- HTML: 2,691
- PDF: 877
- XML: 108
- Total: 3,676
- BibTeX: 132
- EndNote: 182
Total article views: 1,704 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 25 Oct 2022)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 988 | 638 | 78 | 1,704 | 79 | 130 |
- HTML: 988
- PDF: 638
- XML: 78
- Total: 1,704
- BibTeX: 79
- EndNote: 130
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 5,380 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 5,177 with geography defined
and 203 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 3,676 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 3,494 with geography defined
and 182 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 1,704 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 1,683 with geography defined
and 21 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Marine data assimilation in the UK: the past, the present, and the vision for the future J. Skákala et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1709-2025
- Bounded and categorized: targeting data assimilation for sea ice fractional coverage and nonnegative quantities in a single-column multi-category sea ice model M. Wieringa et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5365-2024
- Sea ice data assimilation in ORAS6 P. Browne et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3299-2026
- Enhanced prediction skill of Antarctic sea ice through sea ice thickness assimilation N. Williams et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3795-2026
- Assimilation of radar freeboard and snow altimetry observations in the Arctic and Antarctic with a coupled ocean/sea ice modelling system A. Chenal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-369-2026
- Enhancing sea ice knowledge through assimilation of sea ice thickness from ENVISAT and CS2SMOS N. Williams et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-853-2026
- Regime-dependence when constraining a sea ice model with observations: lessons from a single-column perspective M. Wieringa & C. Bitz https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6207-2025
- Constraining CMIP6 sea ice simulations with ICESat-2 A. Petty et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-6313-2025
- Sea ice albedo bounded data assimilation and its impact on modeling: a regional approach J. Rotondo et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1523-2026
- Inferring the seasonality of sea ice floes in the Weddell Sea using ICESat-2 M. Gupta et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1241-2025
- Assimilating summer sea ice thickness enhances predictions of Arctic sea ice and surrounding atmosphere within two months A. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01050-8
- Drivers of observed winter–spring sea-ice and snow thickness at a coastal site in East Antarctica D. Francis et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1-2026
- A Python interface to the Fortran-based Parallel Data Assimilation Framework: pyPDAF v1.0.2 Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-8235-2025
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Marine data assimilation in the UK: the past, the present, and the vision for the future J. Skákala et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1709-2025
- Bounded and categorized: targeting data assimilation for sea ice fractional coverage and nonnegative quantities in a single-column multi-category sea ice model M. Wieringa et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5365-2024
- Sea ice data assimilation in ORAS6 P. Browne et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3299-2026
- Enhanced prediction skill of Antarctic sea ice through sea ice thickness assimilation N. Williams et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3795-2026
- Assimilation of radar freeboard and snow altimetry observations in the Arctic and Antarctic with a coupled ocean/sea ice modelling system A. Chenal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-369-2026
- Enhancing sea ice knowledge through assimilation of sea ice thickness from ENVISAT and CS2SMOS N. Williams et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-853-2026
- Regime-dependence when constraining a sea ice model with observations: lessons from a single-column perspective M. Wieringa & C. Bitz https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6207-2025
- Constraining CMIP6 sea ice simulations with ICESat-2 A. Petty et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-6313-2025
- Sea ice albedo bounded data assimilation and its impact on modeling: a regional approach J. Rotondo et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1523-2026
- Inferring the seasonality of sea ice floes in the Weddell Sea using ICESat-2 M. Gupta et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1241-2025
- Assimilating summer sea ice thickness enhances predictions of Arctic sea ice and surrounding atmosphere within two months A. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01050-8
- Drivers of observed winter–spring sea-ice and snow thickness at a coastal site in East Antarctica D. Francis et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1-2026
- A Python interface to the Fortran-based Parallel Data Assimilation Framework: pyPDAF v1.0.2 Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-8235-2025
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 14 Jul 2026
Short summary
Observations show that the Arctic sea ice cover has reduced over the last 40 years. This study uses ensemble-based data assimilation in a stand-alone sea ice model to investigate the impacts of assimilating three different kinds of sea ice observation, including the novel assimilation of sea ice thickness distribution. We show that assimilating ice thickness distribution has a positive impact on thickness and volume estimates within the ice pack, especially for very thick ice.
Observations show that the Arctic sea ice cover has reduced over the last 40 years. This study...