TC - recent papers

Sensitivity of the Bootstrap sea ice concentration algorithm to surface parameters in the Antarctic marginal ice zone using passive microwave retrievals

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:29:47 +0200

Sensitivity of the Bootstrap sea ice concentration algorithm to surface parameters in the Antarctic marginal ice zone using passive microwave retrievals
Marta Stentella, Ghislain Picard, Petra Heil, Jacqueline Boutin, Emmanuel Dinnat, and Stuart Corney
The Cryosphere, 20, 4465–4489, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4465-2026, 2026
Passive microwave radiometers are the primary tool for monitoring Antarctic sea ice, but their reliability decreases in the marginal ice zone between the pack ice and the open ocean. We simulate satellite observations to assess the impact of varying physical parameters on sea ice concentration retrievals. The largest errors are due to flooded/wet snow, thin ice, and roughened ocean surfaces. These findings can improve our interpretation of satellite observations and forecast sea ice changes.

Data-driven equation discovery of a sea ice albedo parametrisation

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:29:47 +0200

Data-driven equation discovery of a sea ice albedo parametrisation
Diajeng W. Atmojo, Katja Weigel, Arthur Grundner, Marika M. Holland, Dmitry Sidorenko, and Veronika Eyring
The Cryosphere, 20, 4437–4464, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4437-2026, 2026
This study presents an observation-driven sea ice albedo parametrisation by discovering an equation using symbolic regression, an interpretable machine learning method. Leveraging satellite and reanalyses data, our discovered equation identifies high sensitivity to thin snow and the weighted temperature difference between sea ice surface and 2 m air as critical to determine sea ice albedo. Our findings contribute to improving Arctic climate projections and understanding.

Anatomy and impact of a high Arctic atmospheric river driving extreme winter rain and snowfall

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:29:47 +0200

Anatomy and impact of a high Arctic atmospheric river driving extreme winter rain and snowfall
Hannah Bailey, Jason E. Box, Ben G. Kopec, Valtteri Hyöky, Hannu Marttila, Jeffrey M. Welker, Jack Kohler, Dmitry V. Divine, and Alun Hubbard
The Cryosphere, 20, 4421–4436, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4421-2026, 2026
Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are narrow corridors of intense heat and moisture that can deliver extreme weather to the Arctic. We investigate a record March 2022 event in Svalbard using measurements of air and precipitation to track its origin and evolution. While the AR brought unusual winter rain and snow melt, it also delivered substantial snowfall that partially offset glacier mass loss. These findings show that the impacts of ARs on Arctic glaciers are more complex than typically reported.

Experimental investigation of the direct shear strength parameters of compacted snow

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:29:47 +0200

Experimental investigation of the direct shear strength parameters of compacted snow
Haifeng Huo, Hui Xu, Jixiu Wu, Tao Li, Jingjin Liu, Enzhao Xiao, and Xueyuan Tang
The Cryosphere, 20, 4401–4419, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4401-2026, 2026
Through a series of direct shear tests, this study analyzes the variation of shear strength parameters (cohesion and internal friction angle) in compacted snow under different conditions of density, sintering time, and temperature. A Genetic Algorithm-Back Propagation neural network model was subsequently developed to establish systematic benchmark values for these parameters. This work provides essential data and a predictive framework for the reliable design of snow structures in cold regions.

Mapping snow on northern winter roads: a dual-frequency polarimetric radar approach for snow characterization over land, lake and sea ice

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:29:47 +0200

Mapping snow on northern winter roads: a dual-frequency polarimetric radar approach for snow characterization over land, lake and sea ice
Julienne Stroeve, Rosemary Willatt, Madeleine Downie, Monojit Saha, Carmen Nab, Alicia Fallows, Clement Soriot, Robbie Mallett, Anton Komarov, Vishnu Nandan, Thomas Newman, Jennifer Lukovich, and John Yackel
The Cryosphere, 20, 4367–4399, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4367-2026, 2026
We evaluate polarimetry for snow depth retrieval on Arctic winter transport routes. Over landfast ice and tundra, traditional dual-frequency (Ku/Ka) methods often fail. We demonstrate that cross-polarization (VH) provides a more reliable marker for snow/ice and snow/ground interfaces. For lakes, we successfully resolve air, snow, and ice interfaces to retrieve snow and ice thickness simultaneously. These results establish a baseline for future polarimetric satellite missions.

Assessing spatial heterogeneity of active layer thickness over Arctic-foothills tundra, North Slope Alaska