Articles | Volume 17, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3291-2023
© 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-17-3291-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Aug 2023
Research article |
| 17 Aug 2023
| 17 Aug 2023
Patterns of wintertime Arctic sea-ice leads and their relation to winds and ocean currents
Department of Environmental Meteorology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
Günther Heinemann
Department of Environmental Meteorology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
Frank Schnaase
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Detecting Sea Ice Leads and Floes in the Northwest Passage Using CryoSat-2 A. Swiggs et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2024.3503286
- High-resolution Arctic sea ice lead variations during wintertime (2016–2023) from SAR observations S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2025.08.006
- A model-based study of the dynamics of Arctic low-level jet events for the MOSAiC drift G. Heinemann et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2023.00064
- Decline in Ice Coverage and Ice-Free Period Extension in the Kara and Laptev Seas during 1979–2022 P. Shabanov et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16111875
- Spring 2021 sea ice transport in the southern Beaufort Sea occurred during coastal-lead opening events M. Jewell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1413-2025
- Modeling the contribution of leads to sea spray aerosol in the high Arctic R. Lapere et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12107-2024
- Arctic Sea ice leads detected using sentinel-1B SAR image and their responses to atmosphere circulation and sea ice dynamics M. Qu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2024.114193
- Investigating the drivers of wintertime Southern Ocean sea-ice leads using random forest algorithms U. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4017-2026
- Climate change as observed through the IMS radionuclide station in Spitzbergen J. Kuśmierczyk-Michulec & J. Baré https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59319-6
- Methane pumping by rapidly refreezing lead ice in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean E. Damm et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1338246
- Satellite-Borne and Airborne Sea Ice Remote Sensing for Antarctic Applications in Safe Navigation between the Icebreaker and Research Station: A Case Study in Prydz Bay L. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2025.3593948
- The biogenic sulfur cycle in the coupled ocean–sea ice–atmosphere system S. Ishino et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2025.00067
- Seasonal Variability of Three-Dimensional Eddies in the Arctic Region T. Jiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-026-6443-0
- Connecting remote sensing, Inuit Knowledge, and in-situ observations for monitoring landfast sea ice fracture development in Admiralty Inlet, Nunavut A. Loewen et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2026.2614141
- Problem of Automatic Identification of Sea Ice Cover Leads Using Satellite Images L. Dyment et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433826700313
- Southern Ocean sea-ice leads: first insights into regional lead patterns, seasonality, and trends, 2003–2023 U. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3535-2025
- Climatology and Interannual Variations in Arctic Winter Sea Ice Leads in the ICESat-2 Era M. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4313-2026
- Arctic Wintertime Sea Ice Lead Detection From Sentinel-1 SAR Images S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2024.3444045
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Detecting Sea Ice Leads and Floes in the Northwest Passage Using CryoSat-2 A. Swiggs et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2024.3503286
- High-resolution Arctic sea ice lead variations during wintertime (2016–2023) from SAR observations S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2025.08.006
- A model-based study of the dynamics of Arctic low-level jet events for the MOSAiC drift G. Heinemann et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2023.00064
- Decline in Ice Coverage and Ice-Free Period Extension in the Kara and Laptev Seas during 1979–2022 P. Shabanov et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16111875
- Spring 2021 sea ice transport in the southern Beaufort Sea occurred during coastal-lead opening events M. Jewell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1413-2025
- Modeling the contribution of leads to sea spray aerosol in the high Arctic R. Lapere et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12107-2024
- Arctic Sea ice leads detected using sentinel-1B SAR image and their responses to atmosphere circulation and sea ice dynamics M. Qu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2024.114193
- Investigating the drivers of wintertime Southern Ocean sea-ice leads using random forest algorithms U. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4017-2026
- Climate change as observed through the IMS radionuclide station in Spitzbergen J. Kuśmierczyk-Michulec & J. Baré https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59319-6
- Methane pumping by rapidly refreezing lead ice in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean E. Damm et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1338246
- Satellite-Borne and Airborne Sea Ice Remote Sensing for Antarctic Applications in Safe Navigation between the Icebreaker and Research Station: A Case Study in Prydz Bay L. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2025.3593948
- The biogenic sulfur cycle in the coupled ocean–sea ice–atmosphere system S. Ishino et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2025.00067
- Seasonal Variability of Three-Dimensional Eddies in the Arctic Region T. Jiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-026-6443-0
- Connecting remote sensing, Inuit Knowledge, and in-situ observations for monitoring landfast sea ice fracture development in Admiralty Inlet, Nunavut A. Loewen et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2026.2614141
- Problem of Automatic Identification of Sea Ice Cover Leads Using Satellite Images L. Dyment et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433826700313
- Southern Ocean sea-ice leads: first insights into regional lead patterns, seasonality, and trends, 2003–2023 U. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3535-2025
- Climatology and Interannual Variations in Arctic Winter Sea Ice Leads in the ICESat-2 Era M. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4313-2026
- Arctic Wintertime Sea Ice Lead Detection From Sentinel-1 SAR Images S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2024.3444045
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 16 Aug 2026
Short summary
Sea ice is an important constituent of the global climate system. We here use satellite data to identify regions in the Arctic where the sea ice breaks up in so-called leads (i.e., linear cracks) regularly during winter. This information is important because leads determine, e.g., how much heat is exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere. We here provide first insights into the reasons for the observed patterns in sea-ice leads and their relation to ocean currents and winds.
Sea ice is an important constituent of the global climate system. We here use satellite data to...
