Monitoring winter sea ice dynamics in the Canadian Arctic with NOAA‐TIR images

The study revealed the unique features of winter sea ice dynamics in the Canadian Arctic during 1974–1978 winter seasons. The features included the presence of open water and thin ice in parts of Smith Sound, northern Baffin Bay, western Jones Sound, Foxe Basin, Lancaster Sound, and southeast Baffin Bay. In addition, persistency of leads and polynyas at Smith Sound, Melville Bay, northern Lancaster Sound, Jones Sound, Home Bay, eastern Beaufort Sea, and Amundsen Gulf was remarkable phenomenon. Further, active leads were found in Baffin Bay and Beaufort Sea throughout the winter season. Two ice dams at Smith Sound and Barrow Strait regulated the influx of ice into northern Baffin Bay. The influx of ice into northern Baffin Bay through Smith Sound, Jones Sound, and Lancaster Sound estimated to be 654 km3 per year, whereas the influx of ice from the Arctic Ocean and the Central Archipelago through Robeson Channel, Fram Sound, and Barrow Strait was about 201 km3 per year.