Articles | Volume 20, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4767-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-20-4767-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Impact of meteorological and oceanographic conditions on the state of sea ice in Hornsund, Svalbard over 23 years
Vincent Papin
Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, University of Toulon, Toulon, France
Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
A. Malin Johansson
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Eirik Malnes
NORCE Research AS, Oslo, Norway
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4775, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4775, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Observation (EO).
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We developed a method to separate sea ice from open water in satellite radar images, which is used for estimating sea ice concentration. By including wind speed, our method better accounts for variable water conditions that can resemble sea ice. The method is highly accurate during the melt season, a period when existing approaches for estimating sea ice concentration often struggle.
Lanqing Huang, Julienne Stroeve, Thomas Newman, Robbie Mallett, Rosemary Willatt, Lu Zhou, Malin Johansson, Carmen Nab, and Alicia Fallows
The Cryosphere, 20, 2825–2849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2825-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2825-2026, 2026
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Understanding snow depth on sea ice is key for measuring ice thickness, studying ecosystems, and modelling climate. Using snow and ice thickness measurements from Arctic and Antarctic campaigns, this study examines sub-kilometre-scale (<1 km²) snow depth variations and identifies the most suitable statistical models for different ice ages, thicknesses, and weather conditions. These results can improve sub-grid snow parameterisations in snow models and remote sensing algorithms.
Zuzanna M. Swirad, A. Malin Johansson, and Eirik Malnes
The Cryosphere, 20, 113–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-113-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-113-2026, 2026
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Drift, landfast and glacier ice are present in fjords and it is important to map them separately. We developed a method to split fjord ice into different types based on ice location, persistence in time and size. We used this method for Hornsund fjord, home to the Polish Polar Station, for an 11.5-year period. We observed that most of the ice is drift ice. The maps produced by this study can be used to look at water circulation, coastal erosion and habitat conditions.
Siqi Liu, Shiming Xu, Wenkai Guo, Yanfei Fan, Lu Zhou, Jack Landy, Malin Johansson, Weixin Zhu, and Alek Petty
The Cryosphere, 19, 5175–5199, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5175-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5175-2025, 2025
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In this study, we explore the potential of using synthetic aperture radars (SAR) to predict the sea ice height measurements by the airborne campaign of Operation IceBridge. In particular, we predict the meter-scale sea ice height with the statistical relationship between the two, overcoming the resolution limitation of SAR images from Sentinel-1 satellites. The prediction and ice drift correction algorithms can be applied to the extrapolation of ICESat-2 measurements in the Arctic region.
Zuzanna M. Swirad, A. Malin Johansson, and Eirik Malnes
The Cryosphere, 18, 895–910, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-895-2024, 2024
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We used satellite images to create sea ice maps of Hornsund fjord, Svalbard, for nine seasons and calculated the percentage of the fjord that was covered by ice. On average, sea ice was present in Hornsund for 158 d per year, but it varied from year to year. April was the "iciest'" month and 2019/2020, 2021/22 and 2014/15 were the "iciest'" seasons. Our data can be used to understand sea ice conditions compared with other fjords of Svalbard and in studies of wave modelling and coastal erosion.
Zuzanna M. Swirad, Mateusz Moskalik, and Agnieszka Herman
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2623–2633, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2623-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2623-2023, 2023
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Monitoring ocean waves is important for understanding wave climate and seasonal to longer-term (years to decades) changes. In the Arctic, there is limited freely available observational wave information. We placed sensors at the sea bottom of six bays in Hornsund fjord, Svalbard, and calculated wave energy, wave height and wave period for full hours between July 2013 and February 2021. In this paper, we present the procedure of deriving wave properties from raw pressure measurements.
Wenkai Guo, Polona Itkin, Suman Singha, Anthony P. Doulgeris, Malin Johansson, and Gunnar Spreen
The Cryosphere, 17, 1279–1297, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1279-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1279-2023, 2023
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Sea ice maps are produced to cover the MOSAiC Arctic expedition (2019–2020) and divide sea ice into scientifically meaningful classes. We use a high-resolution X-band synthetic aperture radar dataset and show how image brightness and texture systematically vary across the images. We use an algorithm that reliably corrects this effect and achieve good results, as evaluated by comparisons to ground observations and other studies. The sea ice maps are useful as a basis for future MOSAiC studies.
Hannah Ming Siu Vickers, Priscilla Mooney, Eirik Malnes, and Hanna Lee
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-57, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-57, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
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Rain-on-snow (ROS) events are becoming more frequent as a result of a warming climate, and can have significant impacts on nature and society. Accurate representation of ROS events is need to identify where impacts are greatest both now and in the future. We compare rain-on-snow climatologies from a climate model, ground and satellite radar observations and show how different methods can lead to contrasting conclusions and interpretation of the results should take into account their limitations.
Zuzanna M. Swirad and Adam P. Young
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 1499–1512, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1499-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1499-2022, 2022
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Cliff base and top lines that delimit coastal cliff faces are usually manually digitized based on maps, aerial photographs, terrain models, etc. However, manual mapping is time consuming and depends on the mapper's decisions and skills. To increase the objectivity and efficiency of cliff mapping, we developed CliffDelineaTool, an algorithm that identifies cliff base and top positions along cross-shore transects using elevation and slope characteristics.
Wenkai Guo, Polona Itkin, Johannes Lohse, Malin Johansson, and Anthony Paul Doulgeris
The Cryosphere, 16, 237–257, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-237-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-237-2022, 2022
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This study uses radar satellite data categorized into different sea ice types to detect ice deformation, which is significant for climate science and ship navigation. For this, we examine radar signal differences of sea ice between two similar satellite sensors and show an optimal way to apply categorization methods across sensors, so more data can be used for this purpose. This study provides a basis for future reliable and constant detection of ice deformation remotely through satellite data.
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Short summary
We used satellite images at 50 m resolution to create near-daily maps of ice and open water for Hornsund fjord, Svalbard over 23 seasons from 2002–2025. We observed a gradual shortening of the sea ice season as well as a decrease in the average ice coverage over the years. Air temperature in autumn and winter controlled ice conditions in the fjord.
We used satellite images at 50 m resolution to create near-daily maps of ice and open water for...