A Digital Mapping System (DMS) mosaic of Arctic sea ice. The
dark areas are leads, or open areas of water. Identifying leads
is one of the necessary steps in preparing IceBridge's quick
look sea ice thickness data product. Credit: NASA / DMS team
Shrinking Arctic sea ice grabbed the world's attention again
earlier this year with a new record low minimum. Growing
economic activity in the Arctic, such as fishing, mineral
exploration and shipping, is emphasizing the need for accurate
predictions of how much of the Arctic will be covered by sea
ice. Every June, an international research group known as the
Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) publishes a
summary of the expected September Arctic sea ice minimum known
as the Sea Ice Outlook. The initial reports and monthly updates
aim to give the scientific community and public the best
available information on sea ice. Researchers rely on models
that use estimated ice thickness data and simulated atmospheric
conditions to forecast how sea ice will change d