The Albedo of Sea-Ice and Ice Islands in the Arctic Ocean Basin

Abstract

In spring, when sea-ice is mostly snowcovered, the albedo of the surface is 80-90%, that of melting sea-ice in summer 65-46%, according to the proportion of puddles. Excluding puddles, the albedo of melting shelf-ice is about 77% and that of melting sea-ice about 65%; hence under similar conditions ablation of sea ice is 1.5 times greater than that of shelf ice. Based on airborne and surface measurements, on Ptarmigan flights, T-3, etc.