Ron Lindsay

Ron LindsayRon is interested in how the sea ice in the Arctic moves, grows, and decays in response to changing environmental conditions and how the changes in the ice pack is impacting the atmosphere above. To pursue these research themes he uses a wide variety of in situ and remote sensing data and numerical models. In situ data is from ice camps, buoys, submarines, and moorings, while remote sensing data is from many different sensors. He is particularly interested in collecting, comparing, and utilizing ice thickness measurements and has compiled a public data set of measurements from submarines, moorings, aircraft, and satellites. In support of these interests he has joined the IceBridge science team to help direct a NASA program to monitor ice thickness from aircraft. He has conducted extensive analyses of the output of the retrospective Polar Science Center sea ice model to determine how, where, and why the ice pack is rapidly changing. The model is also the basis for a statistical predictive scheme he has developed for forecasting the ice extent months in advance, either for the Arctic as a whole or for specific regions. Finally, he is developing a capability for modeling the response of the atmosphere to changing pack ice conditions in order to understand the extent to which the heat absorbed in the open water areas in the summer slows the growth of ice in the winter. Ron has been conducting Arctic research for over 35 years and has been with the Polar Science Center since 1988.

For more information see his personal website.

In The News

  • On Thin Ice

    Scientific American reports on a new study deriving ice thickness trends from measurements by the Polar Science Center’s Ron Lindsay and Axel Schweiger’s article published in The Cryosphere.

    read more »

Selected Projects

  • Evaluation of Reanalysis Products in the Arctic

    Seasonal Anomaly Maps — each product compred to the ensemble medianSeasonal Trend Maps — seasonal trends of each variableThis work has been published in the Journal of Climate (Lindsay, R., M. Wensnahan, A. Schweiger, and J. Zhang, 2014: Evaluation of seven different atmospheric reanalysis products in the Arctic. J. Climate, DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00014.1. )AbstractAtmospheric reanalyses depend on a mix of observations and model forecasts. In data-sparse regions such as the Arctic, the reanalysis solution is more dependent on the model structure, assumptions, and data assimilation methods than in data-rich regions. Applications such as the forcing of ice-ocean models are sensitive to…

    read more »

  • Bias-Corrected Sea Ice Thickness from Satellite, Aircraft, and Subsurface Measurements

    The primary objective of this research is to construct a comprehensive bias-corrected sea ice thickness record and use it to better quantify and understand the dramatic changes that have been observed in the Arctic ice pack. To do this all available Arctic sea ice thickness observations will be integrated, from satellite, aircraft, and subsurface measurements, and used to identify and correct systematic errors through comparisons with a common reference. With the resultant record four science questions will be answered:• What are the systematic differences between different measurement systems for sea ice thickness?• What are the spatial patterns in the trends…

    read more »

  • A New Unified Sea Ice Thickness Climate Data Record

    This new data set is a concerted effort to collect as many observations of sea ice thickness as possible in one place with consistent formats and with clear and abundant documentation. It will allow the community to better utilize what is now a considerable body of observations from moorings, submarines, aircraft, and satellites.

    read more »

  • IceBridge Science Team

    IceBridge is a NASA project that supports the acquisition of various data from aircraft in both polar regions that will bridge the gap in coverage between the now defunct ICESat satellite and the next generation ICESat II to be launched in 2015 at the earliest. The main focuses of the data acquisition will be laser altimetry and radar measurements of ice sheets (Greenland and Antarctica) and sea ice (Arctic and Antarctica).

    read more »

Selected Publications

  • Steele, M., S. Dickinson, J. Zhang, and R.W. Lindsay, Seasonal ice loss in the Beaufort Sea: Toward synchrony and prediction, J. Geophy. Res., 120, 1118-1132, doi:10.1002/2014JC010247, 2015.

  • Lindsay, R. and A. Schweiger, Arctic sea ice thickness loss determined using subsurface, aircraft, and satellite observations, The Cryosphere, 9, 269-283, doi:10.5194/tc-9-269-2015, 2015

  • Liu, Z., A. Schweiger, and R. Lindsay (2015), Observations and Modeling of Atmospheric Profiles in the Arctic Seasonal Ice Zone, Monthly Weather Review, 143(1), 39-53.

  • Lindsay, R., M. Wensnahan, A. Schweiger, and J Zhang, 2014, Evaluation of seven different atmospheric reanalysis products in the Arctic, J. Climate, DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-0014.1.

  • Johnson, M,  A. Proshutinsky, A. Nuyen, R. Lindsay, C. Haas, J. Zhang, N. Diansky, R. Kwok, W. Maslowski, S. Hakkinen, I. Ashik, B. deCuevas, 2012:  Evaluation of Arctic sea ice thickness simulated by AOMIP models. J. Geophys. Res., 117, C00D13, doi:10.1029/2011JC007257.

  • Woodgate, R. A., T. J. Weingartner, and R. Lindsay, 2012: Observed increases in Bering Strait oceanic fluxes from the Pacific to the Arctic from 2001 to 2011 and their impacts on the Arctic Ocean water column, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L24603, doi:10.1029/2012GL054092.

  • Zhang, J., R. Lindsay, A. Schweiger, and I. Rigor, 2012: Recent changes in the dynamic properties of declining Arctic sea ice: A model study. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, 20, doi:10.1029/2012GL053545.

  • Lindsay, R., C. Haas, S. Hendricks, P. Hunkeler, N. Kurtz, J. Paden, B. Panzer, J. Sonntag, J. Yungel, and J. Zhang, 2012: Seasonal forecasts of Arctic sea ice initialized with observations of ice thickness, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L21502, doi:10.1029/2012GL053576.

  • Perovich, D.K., J.A. Richer-Menge, K.F. Jones, B. Light, B.C. Elder, C. Polashenski, D. Laroche, T. Markus, R. Lindsay (2011), Arctic sea-ice melt in 2008 and the role of solar heating, Ann. Glac., 57, 355-359, doi:10.3189/172756411795931714.

  • Perovich, D.K., K.F. Jones, B. Light, H. Eicken, T. Markus, J Stroeve, R. Lindsay (2011), Solar partitioning in a changing Arctic sea-ice cover, Ann. Glac., 52, 192-196, doi:10.3189/172756411795931543.

  • Levermann A., J. Bamber, S. Drijfhout, A. Ganopolski, W. Haeberli, N.R.P. Harris, M. Huss, T. M. Lenton, R.W. Lindsay, D. Notz, P. Wadhams, and S. Weber, 2010: Climatic Tipping Elements with potential impact on Europe, The European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change, (ETC/ACC) Technical Paper 2010/3, July 2010.

  • Levermann, A., Bamber, J., Drijfhout, S., Ganopolski, A., Haeberli, W., Harris, N. R. P., Huss, M., Krüger, Kirstin, Lenton, T., Lindsay, R. W., Notz, D., Wadhams, P. and Weber, S., 2010: Potential climatic transitions with profound impact on Europe – Review of the current state of six ‘tipping elements of the climate system’,  Climatic Change . ISSN 0165-0009.

  • Woodgate, R.A., T. Weingartner, and R. Lindsay,’ The 2007 Bering Strait oceanic heat flux and anomalous Arctic sea-ice retreat’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, doi:10.1029/2009GL041621, 2010.

  • Lindsay, R. W., 2010: A new sea ice thickness climate data record, Eos, 44, 405–406.

  • Woodgate R.A., T. Weingartner and R. Lindsay, 2010, The 2007 Bering Strait Oceanic Heat Flux and anomalous Arctic Sea-ice Retreat, Geophys. Res. Letters, 37, L01602, doi:10.1029/2009GL041621.

  • Stern, H. L. and R. W. Lindsay, 2009:  Spatial Scaling of Arctic Sea Ice Deformation. J. Geophys. Res., 114, C10017, doi:10.1029/2009JC005380.

  • Lindsay, R. W., J. Zhang, A. Schweiger, M. Steele, and H. Stern, Arctic sea ice retreat in 2007 follows thinning trend, J. Climate, 22, 165-176, doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2521.1, 2009.

  • Woodgate, R., T. Winegartner, and R. Lindsay, 2009: The 2007 Bering Strait Oceanic Heat Flux and anomalous Arctic Sea-ice Retreat.  Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L01602, doi:10.1029/2009GL041621.

  • Woodgate, R. A., T. Weingartner and R. Lindsay,’ The 2007 Bering Strait Oceanic Heat Flux and anomalous Arctic Sea-ice Retreat’, Geophys. Res. Letters, accepted 2009

  • Stern, H.L., and R.W. Lindsay,’ Spatial scaling of Arctic sea ice deformation’, J. Geophys. Res., 114, doi:10.1029/2009JC005380, 2009.

  • Schweiger, A.J., J. Zhang, R.W. Lindsay, and M. Steele, Did unusually sunny skies help drive the record sea ice minimum of 2007?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L10503, doi:10.1029/2008gl033463, 2008.

  • Rampal, P., J. Weiss, D. Marsan, R. Lindsay, and H. Stern, 2008, Scaling properties of sea ice deformation from buoy dispersion analysis, J. Geophys. Res., 113, C03002, doi:10.1029/2007JC004143.

  • Rampal, P., Weiss, D. Marsan, R. Lindsay, and H. Stern, 2008, Scaling properties of sea ice deformation from buoy dispersion analysis, J. Geophys. Res., 113, C03002, doi: 10.1029/2007JC004143.

  • Zhang J., M. Steele, R. Lindsay, A. Schweiger, J. Morison, Ensemble 1-Year predictions of Arctic sea ice for the spring and summer of 2008, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L08502, doi:10.1029/2008GL033244.

  • Zhang, J., R. Lindsay, M. Steele, and A. Schweiger, What Drove the Dramatic Retreat of Arctic Sea Ice During Summer 2007?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L11505, doi:10.1029/2008GL034005, 2008.

  • Schweiger, A.J., Lindsay, R.W., Vavrus, S., Francis, J.A., “Relationships between Arctic Sea Ice and Clouds during Autumn”, Journal of Climate, doi: 10.1175/2008JCLI2156.1, 2008a.

  • Lindsay, R.W., J. Zhang, A. Schweiger, and M.A. Steele, Seasonal predictions of ice extent in the Arctic Ocean, J. Geophys. Res., 113, C02023, doi:10.1029/2007JC004259, 2008.

  • Lindsay, R.W., R. Kwok, L. de Steur, W. Miere, “Halo of Ice Deformation Observed Over the Maud Rise Seamount”, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L15501, doi:10.1029/2008GL034629, 2008.

  • Lindsay, R. W. and J. Zhang, “Assimilation of ice concentration in an ice-ocean model”, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 23, 742-749, 2006.

  • Lindsay, R. W. and J. Zhang, “Arctic Ocean ice thickness: modes of variability and the best locations from which to monitor them”, J. Physical Ocean, 36, 496-506, 2006.

  • Bitz, C., P. Gent, R.A. Woodgate, A. Hall, M. Holland and R. Lindsay,’ The influence of sea-ice on ocean heat uptake in response to increasing CO2′, J. Climate, 19, 2437-2450, 2006.

  • Lindsay, R. W. and J. Zhang, “The thinning of arctic sea ice, 1988-2003: Have we passed a tipping point?“, J. Climate, 18,  4879–4894, 2005.

  • Lindsay, R. W. and J. Zhang, 2005: The dramatic thinning of arctic sea ice, 1988-2003: have we passed a tipping point?. J. Climate, 18, 4879-4894.

  • Perovich, D., E. L. Andreas, J. A. Curry, H. Eiken, C. W. Fairall, T. C. Grenfell, P. S. Guest, J. Intrieri, D. Kadko, R. W. Lindsay, M. G. McPhee, J. Morison, R. E. Moritz, C. A. Paulson, W. S. Pegau, P. O. G. Persson, R. Pinkel, J. A. Richter-Menge, T. Stanton, H. Stern, M. Sturm, W. B. Tucker III, and T. Uttal. “Year on ice gives climate insights.” EOS, Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 80 (41), 481-486, 1999.

  • Lindsay, R.W., “Temporal variability of the energy balance of thick Arctic pack ice“,  J. Climate, 11, 313-331, 1998.

ABOUT PSC

  • Bonnie Light, PSC Chair, Welcome»
  • The Polar Science Center is a group of dedicated investigators conducting interdisciplinary research on the oceanography, climatology, meteorology, biology and ecology of the ice-covered regions on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system. Learn more »

SCIENTIST LINKS

POPULAR RESOURCES