Sensitivity of Arctic sea ice to melt pond processes and atmospheric forcing: A model study

Melt ponds are pools of meltwater forming principally on Arctic sea ice during the melt season. The albedo is a key component surface energy balance. For this reason, various pond schemes have been developed for climate models. These require assumptions physical processes governing as well knowledge atmospheric state, which not perfectly known. In study, we investigate effects sources uncertainty from prescribed scheme definition and refreezing formulation simulated properties with NEMO-LIM3 ocean–sea general circulation model. We find that state largely controlled by freezing point ponds. representation in better agreement observations when using −0.15 °C compared to value −2.00 °C, our model set-up. All simulations feature positive trends area fraction over past decades. However, only 3 out 8 significant volume per area. This suggests an influence last 30 years. Overall, particular volume, more affected changes forcing than or formulation. Including explicit large-scale sea-ice models offer possibility improve balance Our results underline that, parallel these efforts developments, improved estimates conditions will be required achieve realistic states.