Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5417-2023
© 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-17-5417-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Temporospatial variability of snow's thermal conductivity on Arctic sea ice
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
Lucille Gimenes
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
David N. Wagner
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
CRYOS, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
Ruzica Dadic
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Rafael Ottersberg
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
Stefan Hämmerle
SCANCO Medical AG, Bassersdorf, Switzerland
Martin Schneebeli
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
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Cited
11 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Seasonal evolution of snow density and its impact on thermal regime of sea ice during the MOSAiC expedition Y. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6001-2025
- Evaluating Arctic sea ice and snow thickness simulations: methodological insights from MOSAiC and CMIP6 data S. Trivedi et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2026.1744420
- Implementation of an intermediate-complexity snow-physics scheme (ISBA-Explicit Snow) into a sea ice model (SI3): 1D thermodynamic coupling and validation T. Brivoal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-6885-2025
- Seasonal Variability of Sea Ice Bulk Density During the MOSAiC Expedition: Results From Synergistic In Situ, Airborne, and Satellite Observations Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3650353
- Mass and heat balance of sea ice during the thaw-freezing transition in the Pacific sector of Arctic Ocean derived from the buoy measurements in 2018 M. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-025-2514-0
- Frazil ice changes winter biogeochemical processes in the Lena River S. Opfergelt et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01884-9
- Snow thermal conductivity and conductive flux in the Central Arctic: Estimates from observations and implications for models A. Sledd et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2023.00086
- AdaSA-SD (v1.0): An Adaptive Seasonal Algorithm for Snow Depth Retrieval Over Arctic Sea Ice Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3593433
- Sensitivity of winter Arctic amplification in NorESM2 L. Seland Graff et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-16-1671-2025
- Combining observational data and numerical models to obtain a seamless high-temporal-resolution seasonal cycle of snow and ice mass balance at the MOSAiC Central Observatory P. Itkin & G. Liston https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5111-2025
- Resiliency of Arctic sea ice to warming from southerly advection in early spring C. Cox et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2026.00027
11 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Seasonal evolution of snow density and its impact on thermal regime of sea ice during the MOSAiC expedition Y. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6001-2025
- Evaluating Arctic sea ice and snow thickness simulations: methodological insights from MOSAiC and CMIP6 data S. Trivedi et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2026.1744420
- Implementation of an intermediate-complexity snow-physics scheme (ISBA-Explicit Snow) into a sea ice model (SI3): 1D thermodynamic coupling and validation T. Brivoal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-6885-2025
- Seasonal Variability of Sea Ice Bulk Density During the MOSAiC Expedition: Results From Synergistic In Situ, Airborne, and Satellite Observations Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3650353
- Mass and heat balance of sea ice during the thaw-freezing transition in the Pacific sector of Arctic Ocean derived from the buoy measurements in 2018 M. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-025-2514-0
- Frazil ice changes winter biogeochemical processes in the Lena River S. Opfergelt et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01884-9
- Snow thermal conductivity and conductive flux in the Central Arctic: Estimates from observations and implications for models A. Sledd et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2023.00086
- AdaSA-SD (v1.0): An Adaptive Seasonal Algorithm for Snow Depth Retrieval Over Arctic Sea Ice Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3593433
- Sensitivity of winter Arctic amplification in NorESM2 L. Seland Graff et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-16-1671-2025
- Combining observational data and numerical models to obtain a seamless high-temporal-resolution seasonal cycle of snow and ice mass balance at the MOSAiC Central Observatory P. Itkin & G. Liston https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5111-2025
- Resiliency of Arctic sea ice to warming from southerly advection in early spring C. Cox et al. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2026.00027
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 20 Sep 2026
Short summary
Snow acts as an insulating blanket on Arctic sea ice, keeping the underlying ice "warm", relative to the atmosphere. Knowing the snow's thermal conductivity is essential for understanding winter ice growth. During the MOSAiC expedition, we measured the thermal conductivity of snow. We found spatial and vertical variability to overpower any temporal variability or dependency on underlying ice type and the thermal resistance to be directly influenced by snow height.
Snow acts as an insulating blanket on Arctic sea ice, keeping the underlying ice "warm",...