Identification of the age and compression areas of sea ice from the AMSU satellite microwave radiometer data

A physical substantiation of the new quantitative index of sea ice scattering (Bukharov index) computed from the all-weather AMSU satellite radiometer data is considered. A high sensitivity of the scattering index to the age, thickness, and hummocking of ice in the areas of its compression is demonstrated. The daily maps of the sea ice scattering index in the Arctic are plotted. The analysis of maps enabled to reveal a new phenomenon, a steady existence of various-scale areas of short-range deformations of the sea ice in the Arctic. A new technique is proposed of the identification of age, relative thickness, and compression areas of ice using the maps of minimum and maximum values of the scattering index.