On the winter evolution of snow thermophysical properties over land‐fast first‐year sea ice

The geophysical, thermodynamic and dielectric properties of snow are important state variables that are known to be sensitive to Arctic climate variability and change. Given recent observations of changes in the Arctic physical system (Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 2004), it is important to focus on the processes that give rise to variability in the horizontal, vertical and temporal dimensions of the life‐history of snow on sea ice. The objectives in this study are to present these ‘state’ variables and to investigate the processes that govern variability in the vertical, horizontal and temporal dimension by using a case study over land‐fast first‐year sea ice for the period December 2003 to June 2004. Results from two sampling areas (thin and thick snowpacks) show that differences in snowpack thickness can substantially change the vertical and temporal evolution of snow properties. During the late fall and early winter (cooling period) we measured no significant changes in the physical properties, except for thin snow‐cover salinity, which decreased throughout the period. Fall‐snow desalination was only observed under thin snowpacks with a rate of ?0·12 ppt day^?1. Significant changes occurred in the late winter and early spring (warming period), especially for snow grain size. Snow grain kinetic growth of 0·25–0·48 mm·day^?1 was measured coincidently with increasing salinity and wetness for both thin and thick snowpacks. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of snow water equivalent using microwave radiometry over Arctic first‐year sea ice

The magnitude and spatial distribution of snow on sea ice are both integral components of the ocean–sea‐ice–atmosphere system. Although there exists a number of algorithms to estimate the snow water equivalent (SWE) on terrestrial surfaces, to date there is no precise method to estimate SWE on sea ice. Physical snow properties and in situ microwave radiometry at 19, 37 and 85 GHz, V and H polarization were collected for a 10‐day period over 20 first‐year sea ice sites. We present and compare the in situ physical, electrical and microwave emission properties of snow over smooth Arctic first‐year sea ice for 19 of the 20 sites sampled. Physical processes creating the observed vertical patterns in the physical and electrical properties are discussed. An algorithm is then developed from the relationship between the SWE and the brightness temperature measured at 37 GHz (55°) H polarization and the air temperature. The multiple regression between these variables is able to account for over 90% of the variability in the measured SWE. This algorithm is validated with a small in situ data set collected during the 1999 field experiment. We then compare our data against the NASA snow thickness algorithm, designed as part of the NASA Earth Enterprise Program. The results indicated a lack of agreement between the NASA algorithm and the algorithm developed here. This lack of agreement is attributed to differences in scale between the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager and surface radiometers and to differences in the Antarctic versus Arctic snow physical and electrical properties. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

北极海冰与夏季欧亚遥相关型年际变化的联系及对我国夏季降水的影响

本文利用NCEP/NCAR等再分析资料和CAM3.1数值模式研究了夏季欧亚中高纬遥相关型年际变率与前期春季北极海冰变化的联系及其对我国夏季降水影响的可能机制.结果表明,夏季北大西洋-欧亚中高纬地区500 hPa位势高度场自然正交分解第二模态表现为"-+-+"遥相关波列,其中格陵兰岛-北大西洋和乌拉尔山地区为异常高空槽区所控制,而欧洲和贝加尔湖附近地区则为异常高压脊区,这种波列分布与欧亚中高纬EU型遥相关型十分类似.当遥相关波列为"-+-+"（"+-+-"）型分布时,前期春季巴伦支海北部和巴芬湾一带海冰偏少（多）,同期夏季巴伦支海北部一带海冰亦持续偏少（多）,同时在我国东北北部地区、长江和黄河之间地区降水明显偏少（多）.深入分析发现,巴伦支海北部和巴芬湾一带海冰偏少后,由于该地区湍流热通量明显偏强,在动力过程影响方面会形成异常Rossby波源,准定常Rossby波活动通量将向东亚地区传播,使得夏季欧亚中高纬"-+-+"遥相关波列出现.另外,海冰异常偏少后,在热动力过程影响方面,4-5月欧亚中高纬乌拉尔山-贝加尔湖以北地区积雪会出现"西少东多"偶极子型异常分布,其通过影响后期土壤湿度及下垫面热通量异常,也有利于夏季欧亚中高纬遥相关波列的维持.伴随着欧亚中高纬"-+-+"遥相关波列的出现,乌山阻塞高压偏弱,东亚槽偏浅,且亚洲副热带急流随之加强,贝加尔湖以北的副极地地区出现西风异常,东亚副热带急流北侧出现东风异常,贝加尔湖以南地区为异常反气旋控制,南下冷空气活动减弱.受到上述环流形势影响,我国东北北部地区、黄河和长江之间地区降水明显偏少.当巴伦支海北部和巴芬湾区域海冰偏多时,结论则反之.最后,基于春季海冰指数和晚春偶极子型积雪指数,我们建立了江淮流域夏季降水的预测模型,回报结果表明其对江淮流域夏季降水的年际变率具有较高的预测技巧.     

Sensitivity of sea ice and ocean simulations to sea ice salinity in a coupled global climate model

The impacts of the spatiotemporal variations of sea ice salinity on sea ice and ocean characteristics have not been studied in detail, as the existing climate models neglect or misrepresent this process. To address this issue, this paper formulated a parameterization with more realistic sea ice salinity budget, and examined the sensitivity of sea ice and ocean simulations to the ice salinity variations and associated salt flux into the ocean using a coupled global climate model. Results show that the inclus...     

Dipole anomaly in the Arctic atmosphere and winter Arctic sea ice motion

Arctic sea ice, an important component of the cli- mate system, has received significant attention re- cently. Arctic sea ice variation is an important indica- tor of changes in the climate system, such as global change and polar amplification, and observation and climate modeling suggests that sea ice can itself be an agent of climate change[1―4]. Previous studies[3,5] have shown that sea ice influences the surface and atmos- pheric boundary layer temperature. Potentially more important is t…     

Re-calibration of Arctic sea ice extent datasets using Arctic surface air temperature records

A new seasonal and annual dataset describing Arctic sea ice extents for 1901–2015 was constructed by individually re-calibrating sea ice data sources from the three Arctic regions (North American, Nordic and Siberian) using the corresponding surface air temperature trends for the pre-satellite era (1901–1978), so that the strong relationship between seasonal sea ice extent and surface air temperature observed for the satellite era (1979-present) also applies to the pre-satellite era. According to this new dataset, the recent period of Arctic sea ice retreat since the 1970s followed a period of sea ice growth after the mid-1940s, which in turn followed a period of sea ice retreat after the 1910s. Arctic sea ice is a key component of the Arctic hydrological cycle, through both its freshwater storage role and its influence on oceanic and atmospheric circulation. Therefore, these new insights have significance for our understanding of Arctic hydrology.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR not assigned     

First‐year sea ice spring melt transitions in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from time‐series synthetic aperture radar data, 1992–2002

This paper synthesizes 10‐years' worth of interannual time‐series space‐borne ERS‐1 and RADARSAT‐1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected coincident with daily measurement of snow‐covered, land‐fast first‐year sea ice (FYI) geophysical and surface radiation data collected from the Seasonal Sea Ice Monitoring and Modeling Site, Collaborative‐Interdisciplinary Cryospheric Experiment and 1998 North Water Polynya study over the period 1992 to 2002. The objectives are to investigate the seasonal co‐relationship of the SAR time‐series dataset with selected surface mass (bulk snow thickness) and climate state variables (surface temperature and albedo) measured in situ for the purpose of measuring the interannual variability of sea ice spring melt transitions and validating a time‐series SAR methodology for sea ice surface mass and climate state parameter estimation. We begin with a review of the salient processes required for our interpretation of time‐series microwave backscatter from land‐fast FYI. Our results suggest that time‐series SAR data can reliably measure the timing and duration of surface albedo transitions at daily to weekly time‐scales and at a spatial scales that are on the order of hundreds of metres. Snow thickness on FYI immediately prior to melt onset explains a statistically significant portion of the variability in timing of SAR‐detected melt onset to pond onset for SAR time‐series that are made up of more than 25 images. Our results also show that the funicular regime of snowmelt, resolved in time‐series SAR data at a temporal resolution of approximately 2·5 images per week, is not detectable for snow covers less than 25 cm in thickness. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

秋季北极海冰与欧亚冬季气温在年代际和年际尺度上的不同联系

北极海冰的急剧消融在近年来欧亚大陆频发的低温事件中扮演着关键角色.秋季北极海冰的偏少对应着冬季欧亚大陆的低温天气,然而二者的联系在年代际和年际两种时间尺度上存在显著区别.本文运用1979—2012年哈德莱中心第一套海冰覆盖率(HadISST1)、欧洲中心(ERA_Interim)的2 m温度、风场、海平面气压场、高度场等资料,分别研究了年代际和年际时间尺度上前期秋季北极海冰与欧亚冬季气温的联系.结果表明,欧亚和北极地区(0°—160°E,15°N—90°N)的冬季气温具有显著的年代际和年际变化.在年代际尺度上,温度异常分布在21世纪初由北极冷-大陆暖转为北极暖-大陆冷.这一年代际转折与前期秋季整个北极地区的海冰年代际减少联系密切.秋季北极全区海冰年代际偏少对应冬季欧亚大陆中高纬地区的高压异常,有利于北大西洋的暖湿气流北上和北极的冷空气南侵,造成北极暖-大陆冷的温度分布;在年际时间尺度上,温度异常分布主要由第一模态的年际变化部分和第二模态组成,且第一模态包含的年际变率信号也存在显著的年代际变化.年际尺度上全区北极海冰对欧亚冬季气温的影响远不及位于北冰洋西南边缘的巴伦支海、喀拉海和拉普捷夫海西部(30°E—120°E,75°N—85°N)的关键区海冰影响显著.关键区内海冰的偏少会引发冬季的北大西洋涛动负位相,导致北大西洋吹往欧亚大陆的暖湿气流减弱和欧亚大陆中高纬地区的气温偏低.     

Pixel‐scale evaluation of SSM/I sea‐ice algorithms in the marginal ice zone during early fall freeze‐up

Observed reduction in recent sea ice areal extent and thickness has focused attention on the fact that the Arctic marine system appears to be responding to global‐scale climate variability and change. Passive microwave remote‐sensing data are the primary source underpinning these reports, yet problems remain in geophysical inversion of information on ice type and concentration. Uncertainty in sea‐ice concentration (SIC) retrievals is highest in the summer and fall, when water occurs in liquid phase within the snow–sea‐ice system. Of particular scientific interest is the timing and rate of new ice formation due to the control that this form of sea ice has on mass, energy and gas fluxes across the ocean–sea‐ice–atmosphere interface. In this paper we examine the critical fall freeze‐up period using in situ data from a ship‐based and aerial survey programme known as the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange study combined with microwave and optical Earth observations data. Results show that: (1) the overall physical conditions observed from aerial survey photography were well matched with coincident moderate‐resolution imaging spectroradiometer data and Radarsat ScanSAR imagery; (2) the shortwave albedo was linearly related to old ice concentration derived from survey photography; (3) the three SSM/I SIC algorithms (NASA Team (NT), NASA Team 2 (NT2), and Bootstrap (BT)) showed considerable discrepancies in pixel‐scale comparison with the Radarsat ScanSAR SICs well calibrated by the aerial survey data. The major causes of the discrepancies are attributed to (1) the inherent inability to detect the new thin ice in the NT and BT algorithms, (2) mismatches of the thin‐ice tie point of the NT2 algorithm, and (3) sub‐pixel ambiguity between the thin ice and the mixture of open water and sea ice. These results suggest the need for finer resolution of passive microwave sensors, such as AMSR‐E, to improve the precision of the SSM/I SIC algorithms in the marginal ice zone during early fall freeze‐up. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection and classification of surface roughness in an Arctic marginal sea ice zone

Sea ice dynamic and thermodynamic processes are important and highly variable elements of the marginal ice zone (MIZ). This study examines the detection and classification of statistically separable sea ice classes in the MIZ through a range of temporal and spatial scales. A helicopter‐based laser system was used to obtain large‐scale and a ship‐based laser profiler to identify small‐scale roughness types, respectively. The analysis of variance of surface height data from helicopter‐ and ship‐based laser systems, active microwave (AMW) C‐band backscattering data and passive microwave (PMW) (37 and 89 GHz) brightness temperature data reveal different classes that statistically differ from one another. We found significant statistical difference in variances in AMW data with six classes that differ in VV polarization, three classes in VH polarization, and five classes in HH polarization in the MIZ (e.g. snow‐covered first‐year ice, ice rubble, pancake ice, frost flowers, melt pond, flooded ice, and ice edge) of southeastern Beaufort Sea. The PMW emission was not as effective at discrimination, yielding only one statistically separable class. The results can potentially be extended to satellite‐based investigations of the MIZ at regional scales. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Charred forests accelerate snow albedo decay: parameterizing the post‐fire radiative forcing on snow for three years following fire

As large, high‐severity forest fires increase and snowpacks become more vulnerable to climate change across the western USA, it is important to understand post‐fire disturbance impacts on snow hydrology. Here, we examine, quantify, parameterize, model, and assess the post‐fire radiative forcing effects on snow to improve hydrologic modelling of snow‐dominated watersheds having experienced severe forest fires. Following a 2011 high‐severity forest fire in the Oregon Cascades, we measured snow albedo, monitored snow, and micrometeorological conditions, sampled snow surface debris, and modelled snowpack energy and mass balance in adjacent burned forest (BF) and unburned forest sites. For three winters following the fire, charred debris in the BF reduced snow albedo, accelerated snow albedo decay, and increased snowmelt rates thereby advancing the date of snow disappearance compared with the unburned forest. We demonstrate a new parameterization of post‐fire snow albedo as a function of days‐since‐snowfall and net snowpack energy balance using an empirically based exponential decay function. Incorporating our new post‐fire snow albedo decay parameterization in a spatially distributed energy and mass balance snow model, we show significantly improved predictions of snow cover duration and spatial variability of snow water equivalent across the BF, particularly during the late snowmelt period. Field measurements, snow model results, and remote sensing data demonstrate that charred forests increase the radiative forcing to snow and advance the timing of snow disappearance for several years following fire. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio‐temporal variability of Great Lakes basin snow cover ablation events

In the Great Lakes basin of North America, annual run‐off is dominated by snowmelt. This snowmelt‐induced run‐off plays an important role within the hydrologic cycle of the basin, influencing soil moisture availability and driving the seasonal cycle of spring and summer lake levels. Despite this, relatively little is understood about the patterns and trends of snow ablation event frequency and magnitude within the Great Lakes basin. This study uses a gridded dataset of Canadian and United States surface snow depth observations to develop a regional climatology of snow ablation events from 1960 to 2009. An ablation event is defined as an interdiurnal snow depth decrease within an individual grid cell. A clear seasonal cycle in ablation event frequency exists within the basin and peak ablation event probability is latitudinally dependent. Most of the basin experiences peak ablation frequency in March, while the northern and southern regions of the basin experience respective peaks in April and February. An investigation into the interannual frequency of ablation events reveals ablation events significantly decrease within the northeastern and northwestern Lake Superior drainage basins and significantly increase within the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins. In the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins, larger ablation events are occurring more frequently, and a larger impact to the hydrology can be expected. Trends in ablation events are attributed primarily to changes in snowfall and snow depth across the region.     

Evaluating the potential of a blended passive microwave‐interactive multi‐sensor product for improved mapping of snow cover and estimations of snow water equivalent

The retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) from remote sensing satellites continues to be a very challenging problem. In this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of a new SWE product derived from the blending of a passive microwave SWE product based on the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) with a multi‐sensor snow cover extent product based on the Interactive Multi‐sensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS). The microwave measurements have the ability to penetrate the snow pack, and thus, the retrieval of SWE is best accomplished using the AMSU. On the other hand, the IMS maps snow cover more reliably due to the use of multiple satellite and ground observations. The evolution of global snow cover from the blended, the AMSU and the IMS products was examined during the 2006 snow season. Despite the overall good inter‐product agreement, it was shown that the retrievals of snow cover extent in the blended product are improved when using IMS, with implications for improved microwave retrievals of SWE. In a separate investigation, the skill of the microwave SWE product was also examined for its ability to correctly estimate SWE globally and regionally. Qualitative evaluation of global SWE retrievals suggested dependence on land surface temperature: the lower the temperature, the higher the SWE retrieved. This temperature bias was attributed in part to temperature effects on those snow properties that impact microwave response. Therefore, algorithm modifications are needed with more dynamical adjustments to account for changing snow cover. Quantitative evaluation over Slovakia in central Europe, for a limited period in 2006, showed reasonably good performance for SWE less than 100 mm. Sensitivity to deeper snow decreased significantly. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogeomorphic processes of thermokarst lakes with grounded‐ice and floating‐ice regimes on the Arctic coastal plain,Alaska

Thermokarst lakes cover > 20% of the landscape throughout much of the Alaskan Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) with shallow lakes freezing solid (grounded ice) and deeper lakes maintaining perennial liquid water (floating ice). Thus, lake depth relative to maximum ice thickness (1·5–2·0 m) represents an important threshold that impacts permafrost, aquatic habitat, and potentially geomorphic and hydrologic behaviour. We studied coupled hydrogeomorphic processes of 13 lakes representing a depth gradient across this threshold of maximum ice thickness by analysing remotely sensed, water quality, and climatic data over a 35‐year period. Shoreline erosion rates due to permafrost degradation ranged from < 0·2 m/year in very shallow lakes (0·4 m) up to 1·8 m/year in the deepest lakes (2·6 m). This pattern of thermokarst expansion masked detection of lake hydrologic change using remotely sensed imagery except for the shallowest lakes with stable shorelines. Changes in the surface area of these shallow lakes tracked interannual variation in precipitation minus evaporation (P ? E_L) with periods of full and nearly dry basins. Shorter‐term (2004–2008) specific conductance data indicated a drying pattern across lakes of all depths consistent with the long‐term record for only shallow lakes. Our analysis suggests that grounded‐ice lakes are ice‐free on average 37 days longer than floating‐ice lakes resulting in a longer period of evaporative loss and more frequent negative P ? E_L. These results suggest divergent hydrogeomorphic responses to a changing Arctic climate depending on the threshold created by water depth relative to maximum ice thickness in ACP lakes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inter‐annual variation in the topographic controls on catchment‐scale snow distribution in a maritime alpine catchment,New Zealand

Seasonal snow is a globally important water resource that contributes substantially to upland and lowland water resources. As such, there is a need to understand the controls on the spatial and temporal variation in snow distribution. This study meets this research need by investigating the topographic controls on snow depth distribution in the upper Jollie catchment in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Furthermore, inter‐annual variation in the importance of the topographic controls is examined and linked to variation in the dominant synoptic‐scale weather patterns over a 4‐year period (2007–2010). Through the use of regression trees, the relative importance of the topographic controls on snow depth was shown to vary between the four study years. In particular, elevation explained the greatest amount of variance in 2007 and 2008 and east‐exposure explained the greatest variance in 2009 and 2010. The other wind exposure variables also had a large effect on the snow depth distribution in 2009 and 2010. Differences in the frequency and duration of synoptic weather patterns were physically consistent with the changing importance of these variables. In particular, a higher frequency of troughing events in 2009 and 2010 is thought to be associated with a reduced importance of elevation and greater influence of wind exposure on snow depth in these years. These findings demonstrate the importance of using multi‐year data sets, and of considering topographic and climatic influences, when attempting to model alpine snow distribution. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of snow water equivalent over the eastern part of Turkey using passive microwave data

Information on regional snow water equivalent (SWE) is required for the management of water generated from snowmelt. Modeling of SWE in the mountainous regions of eastern Turkey, one of the major headwaters of Euphrates–Tigris basin, has significant importance in forecasting snowmelt discharge, especially for optimum water usage. An assimilation process to produce daily SWE maps is developed based on Helsinki University of Technology (HUT) model and AMSR‐E passive microwave data. The characteristics of the HUT emission model are analyzed in depth and discussed with respect to the extinction coefficient function. A new extinction coefficient function for the HUT model is proposed to suit models for snow over mountainous areas. Performance of the modified model is checked against the original, other modified cases and ground truth data covering the 2003–2007 winter periods. A new approach to calculate grain size and density is integrated inside the developed data assimilation process. An extensive validation was successfully performed by means of snow data measured at ground stations during the 2008–2010 winter periods. The root mean square error of the data set for snow depth and SWE between January and March of the 2008–2010 periods compared with the respective AMSR‐E footprints indicated that errors for estimated snow depth and predicted SWE values were 16.92 cm and 40.91 mm, respectively, for the 3‐year period. Validation results were less satisfactory for SWE less than 75.0 mm and greater than 150.0 mm. An underestimation for SWE greater than 150 mm could not be resolved owing to the microwave signal saturation that is observed for dense snowpack. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2010年春季南极固定冰反照率变化特征及其影响因子

2010年春季至夏季在中山站附近的固定冰面开展了固定冰反照率观测.在春夏过渡期,观测期间的表面反照率呈下降趋势,平均反照率从9月的0.80下降到12月的0.62,整个观测期间的平均值为0.70.雪厚是影响反照率变化的重要因子,融化前期的反照率受表面温度影响较大,干雪期反照率对表面温度并不敏感.降雪可通过增加表面雪厚和减小表面积雪粒径显著增加反照率,云层则可通过吸收入射太阳光中的近红外波段增加反照率,降雪和阴天反照率可比晴天观测平均增加0.18和0.06;吹雪则可通过改变积雪光学厚度导致反照率发生显著变化.受太阳天顶角变化和积雪变性的共同影响,晴天或少云时的反照率在上午随太阳天顶角呈准线性递减,下午则几乎不发生变化;最高值、最低值分别出现在凌晨和下午.本文提出了一组分别表述厚干雪、薄干雪和湿雪反照率日变化的参数化方案,通过太阳天顶角的线性函数隐式考虑进了积雪变性的影响.相比常数反照率方案,该参数化方案能有效提高对反照率日变化的估算能力.     

Development of a rain‐on‐snow detection algorithm using passive microwave radiometry

Currently observed climate warming in the Arctic has numerous consequences. Of particular relevance, the precipitation regime is modified where mixed and liquid precipitation can occur during the winter season leading to rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events. This phenomenon is responsible for ice crust formation, which has a significant impact on ecosystems (such as biological, hydrological, ecological and physical processes). The spatially and temporally sporadic nature of ROS events makes the phenomenon difficult to monitor using meteorological observations. This paper focuses on the detection of ROS events using passive microwave (PMW) data from a modified brightness temperature (T_B) gradient approach at 19 and 37 GHz. The approach presented here was developed empirically for observed ROS events with coincident ground‐based PMW measurements in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. It was then tested in Nunavik, Quebec, with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR‐E). We obtained a detection accuracy of 57, 71 and 89% for ROS detection for three AMSR‐E grid cells with a maximum error of 7% when considering all omissions and commissions with regard to the total number of AMSR‐E passes throughout the winter period. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection of crevasses over polar ice shelves using Satellite Laser Altimeter

Ice shelf breakups account for most mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet as the consequence of the propagation of crevasses(or rift)in response to stress.Thus there is a pressing need for detecting crevasses’location and depth,to understand the mechanism of calving processes.This paper presents a method of crevasse detection using the ICESat-1/GLAS data.A case study was taken at the Amery Ice Shelf of Antarctica to verify the accuracy of geo-location and depth of crevasses detected.Moreover,based on the limited crevasse points,we developed a method to detect the peak stress points which can be used to track the location of the crack tips and to identify the possible high-risk area where an ice shelf begins to break up.The spatial and temporal distribution of crevasse depth and the spatial distribution of peak stress points of the Amery Ice Shelf were analyzed through 132 tracks in 16 campaign periods of ICESat-1/GLAS between 2003 and 2008.The results showed that the depth of the detected crevasse points ranged from 2 to 31.7 m,which were above the sea level;the crevasse that advected downstream to the front edge of an ice shelf has little possibility to directly result in breakups because the crevasse depth did not show any increasing trend over time;the local stress concentration is distributed mainly in the suture zones on the ice shelves.