AMI-wind measurements compared to SSM/I interpretations over Arctic Sea ice

From November 1992 to June 1993, backscattering coefficients, /spl sigma//spl deg/, at 40/spl deg/ incidence angle were computed using the backscatter measurements of ERS-1's scatterometer, the AMI-Wind. Maps /spl sigma//spl deg/ were compared to those of different SSM/I parameters: brightness temperatures, spectral gradient ratio, polarization ratio, first-year and multi-year ice concentrations: During winter months, the higher values of /spl sigma//spl deg/ over the Arctic ocean are closely related to multi-year ice concentrations given by the NASA Team algorithm. In the first part of May, a strong and rapid decrease of the spectral gradient ratio near the coast of Siberia leads to the sudden appearance of multi-year ice there, in contradiction with the backscatter values, which remain low.<
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