Circum-Antarctic Sea-Ice Lead-Frequencies, 2003-2018

The dataset shows the relative lead frequencies around Antarctica for the months April-September, 2003-2018. The dataset is based on the MOD/MYD 29 Ice Surface Temperatures (NSIDC, Riggs and Hall (2015), see doi:10.5067/MODIS/MYD29.006 and doi:10.5067/MODIS/MOD29.006). By applying the algorithms introduced by Willmes and Heinemann (2015, doi:10.3189/2015AoG69A615; 2016, doi:10.3390/rs8010004) leads are identified in the swaths and subsquently combined to daily composites. Only clear-sky pixels are regarded.
For the Weddell-Sea model results from a coupled ocean/sea-ice model (NEMO-LIM 3.6) are compared with the lead frequencies to further study the interaction of sea ice and the ocean.
For further reading see Reiser et al. (2019): Predominant sea-ice fracture zones around Antarctica and their relation to bathymetric features.