The
sea ice component represents
sea ice in multiple
categories of
thickness and accounts for changes in
thickness due to growth and melt as well as mechanical deformation of
ice (Thorndike et al. 1975, Hibler 1980).
The ensemble consists of seven members each of which uses a unique set of NCEP / NCAR atmospheric forcing fields from recent years, representing recent climate, such that ensemble member 1 uses 2005 NCEP / NCAR forcing, member 2 uses 2006 forcing..., and member 7 uses 2011 forcing... In addition, the recently available IceBridge and helicopter - based electromagnetic (HEM)
ice thickness quicklook data are assimilated into the initial 12 -
category sea ice thickness distribution fields in order to improve the initial conditions for the predictions.