Automatic Sea Ice Detection and Classification Algorithm Using Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI)

Abstract

Long-term changes in Arctic sea ice are an index of climate change. The sea ice observation using a passive microwave sensor has been continued from 1970’s. The determination of sea ice extent and ice type is one of the great successes of the passive microwave imagers. But it does not give detailed information about the exact position and properties of sea ice. The temporal resolution is also not enough to understand fully a temporal change of sea ice because it is in sun synchronous orbit. During the two winter periods from December to February, 2010-11 and 2011-12, we applied a sea ice extraction method to GOCI images for the regions the northern areas of the Yellow Sea and the East Sea, and the Okhotsk Sea as shown in the figure. Sea ice was firstly observed in December. Sea ice area had waved back and forth from land to ocean and the extent was getting larger as time passed, and both terms of detected sea ice melted in March. The repetition of freezing and melting would be finely changed in every year. In addition, we try to find a way to show sea ice intensity instead of sea ice concentration.the passive microwave imagers. But it does not give detailed information about the exact position and properties of sea ice. The temporal resolution is also not enough to understand fully a temporal change of sea ice because it is in sun synchronous orbit. During the two winter periods from December to February, 2010-11 and 2011-12, we applied a sea ice extraction method to GOCI images for the regions the northern areas of the Yellow Sea and the East Sea, and the Okhotsk Sea as shown in the figure. Sea ice was firstly observed in December. Sea ice area had waved back and forth from land to ocean and the extent was getting larger as time passed, and both terms of detected sea ice melted in March. The repetition of freezing and melting would be finely changed in every year. In addition, we try to find a way to show sea ice intensity instead of sea ice concentration.