Back to opportunities | Category Index
These are the intended use-case/justification for one or multiple variable groups. Opportunities are linked to relevant experiment groups. Identifying opportunities helps to provide a structure to map variables against requirements. Each opportunity description will convey why this combination of variables and experiments is important and how they contribute to impact.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| description | Sea ice is a crucial indicator and driver of climate change and a key component of Earth's environmental heritage. Changes in sea ice have significant impacts on the atmosphere, ocean, marine biogeochemistry, ecosystems, and human activities. Given its importance, it is essential to advance our understanding of past and future sea ice changes, their driving mechanisms, and their impacts. To achieve this, we need variables that help diagnose the state of sea ice, understand the mechanisms driving its changes, and assess its impacts. |
| expected_impacts | Sea ice diagnostics are essential for projecting the future of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice and understanding the factors driving these changes. For example, detailed sea ice diagnostics can help determine which components of the sea ice mass balance — such as surface, basal, or lateral growth and melt — will dominate future changes. Additionally, they can identify the sources of energy driving these changes (such as the greenhouse effect or oceanic heat transport) and document the role of contributing feedbacks. |
| justification_of_resources | Understanding sea ice changes is crucial to understand them, their impacts and role in the climate system. |
| lead_theme | Ocean & Sea-Ice |
| minimum_ensemble_size | 1 |
| name | Sea ice changes, drivers and impacts |
| opportunity_id | 73 |