Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Sea Ice in the Sea of Okhotsk (SIC, SGLI-retrieved Albedo, and Brightness Temperature Data, 2021)

This dataset contains sea ice concentration (SIC), albedo retrievals, brightness temperature (T01), and surface classification (mask) for the Sea of Okhotsk region during the winter-spring period of 2021. The data is provided for 15-km resolution SIC (derived from AMSR-2) and albedo (retrieved from the SGLI sensor, re-gridded to the 15-km grid). These data were used to study the temporal and spatial evolution of sea ice, especially within dynamic polynya systems, which are key in understanding sea ice formation, melt dynamics, and albedo changes.<br>The dataset includes:Albedo: The albedo values retrieved from SGLI sensors, indicating the surface reflectivity.SIC_15km: Sea ice concentration derived from AMSR-2 microwave sensors, representing the fraction of ocean area covered by sea ice. SIC values are given at a 15-km resolution.T01: Brightness temperature from the SGLI sensor's 10.8 µm channel, which is sensitive to the thermal emission from the surface.Mask: Surface classification masks for differentiating between surface types such as water, bare sea ice, and snow-covered sea ice.<br>File Descriptions:Each file in this dataset corresponds to a specific week during the 2021 sea ice season, covering the following periods:2021-01-08 to 2021-01-132021-01-31 to 2021-02-062021-02-11 to 2021-02-172021-03-05 to 2021-03-122021-03-15 to 2021-03-202021-04-01 to 2021-04-072021-04-22 to 2021-04-302021-05-07 to 2021-05-12<br>Each file is stored in NetCDF format (`.nc`) and contains the following variables:albedo: 1-km resolution data representing surface albedo, retrieved using SGLI sensors, re-gridded to the 15-km grid.SIC_15km: 15-km resolution sea ice concentration derived from AMSR-2 microwave sensor data.T01: Brightness temperature from the SGLI 10.8 µm channel, reflecting the thermal state of the surface.mask: Classification mask indicating the surface type using the following values:0: Water1: Bare Sea-ice 2. Snow-covered sea iceUsage:The dataset is designed to be used for studying the correlation between albedo and sea ice concentration in the Sea of Okhotsk, with a particular focus on polynya systems and their seasonal evolution. Combining high-resolution albedo data with 15-km SIC allows for a comprehensive view of the sea ice dynamics over time, while the inclusion of brightness temperature data (T01) adds insights into the thermal properties of the surface.The dataset can be applied in research investigating sea ice formation, the melt phase, and the influence of polynya dynamics on regional and global climate patterns.