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Brief biography
Dr. Don Perovich received a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Washington. He is a
Senior Research Geophysicist at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in
Hanover, New Hampshire and an Adjunct Professor at the Thayer School of Engineering,
Dartmouth College. His primary research interest is understanding the role of Arctic sea ice in
the global climate system, with an emphasis on the heat and mass budget of sea ice and the ice
albedo feedback. He has participated in numerous Arctic field experiments, including a transArctic icebreaker expedition to the North Pole, and served as the Chief Scientist of SHEBA, a
large international program studying the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean. He is the
author of over 120 scientific articles on sea ice properties and processes.
Summary of “Sunlight, Sea Ice, Ponds, and Ocean: What is Driving the Ice – Albedo Feedback?”
The Arctic Ocean is covered by millions of square kilometers of floating sea ice. While vast in
extent, it is a thin veneer only a few meters thick. This combination makes it an excellent proxy
indicator for warming in the Arctic. Stated simply, if the Arctic is warming, there should be a
decrease in ice extent and thickness. Observations show a general decline in the extent and
thickness of the Arctic sea ice cover in the past few decades. The observed decline in sea ice is
directly linked to sea ice dynamic and thermodynamic forcing and is also affected by feedback
processes. The recent accelerated decline is consistent with ice-albedo feedback. The albedo is
the fraction of sunlight that is reflected by a surface. Ice melt decreases the albedo, resulting in
increased absorption of solar radiation, which in turns accelerates melting. Research results
indicate that the key drivers of sea ice albedo are the ice-free area; the area of the ice covered by
melt water ponds; and the timing of melt onset.