Time for a nice break, while Wipneus rewires his amazing processing machine, with some ADS NIPR AMSR2 melt extent images.
Almost a month ago a line of enhanced melt was identified, starting near Wrangel Island all across the Chukchi sea ice and into the CAB.
Below a comparison between July 30 when the line was already clear, and August 19. After 20 days of strong eastward drift (easily 300 - 400 km) the line keeps dividing a region of less melting at its west side, and more melting or just open water at its east side. It seems that whatever ice crosses that line is quickly gone. A vast region of 300 - 400 km wide open ocean can be seen east of the line.
I call this a melt front. It can be casual, but coincidence rarely happens.
I speculate that it is caused by warmer saltier water that either has been accumulating from Bering inflow since spring, or has been upwelling from a current well under the surface of the ocean.
I have been reviewing AMSR Bremen images of past years, and this area of enhanced melting may be present in many of the years, so I am not claiming that this is something particularly new in 2016, but it is really impressive.
If this drift keeps going on, what will be of the remaining ice west of the front?