Sea-ice floe size distribution data derived from USGS GFL high-resolution satellite imagery for the pre-ponding period of 2000-2014

The dataset (FSD-GFL-res2m-Preponding) contains sea-ice floe ice distribution (FSD) data derived from the Global Fiducials Library (GFL) imagery during the pre-ponding period at the three fiducial sites, using the algorithms described in Hwang et al. (2017). The GFL imagery is 1-m resolution declassified National Technical Means satellite imagery, also known as the Literal Image Derived Products (LIDPs) (Kwok, 2014). The FSD data derived from the GFL imagery cover the period of 2000 to 2014 at the three fiducial sites at Chukchi Sea (70 deg N and 170 deg W), East Siberian Sea (82 deg N and 150 deg E), and Fram Strait (84.9 deg N and 0.5 deg E). For the production of this dataset, the spatial resolution of the GFL imagery degraded to 2 meters ("res2m") for fast processing. The FSD data are produced for robust model calibration and validation for FSD parameterisations within sea-ice models, and also to improve our understanding of spatial and temporal variations of FSD across the Arctic Ocean. The FSD data have been generated by B. Hwang. This FSD dataset is produced as part of NERC MIZ NE/R000654/1 (Towards a marginal Arctic sea ice cover).