The Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC): Helping bring sea ice Models and Observations together.

The Climate and Cryosphere Project is sponsored by the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) and the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR). One of the four themes within the CliC project is the Marine Cryosphere Theme (MarC). This paper will review the recent projects and workshops held within this Theme and how they relate to other, international initiatives. Recent recommendations on sea ice thickness are being implemented, and groups have been formed to work towards improvements in models, particularly in their representation of the Southern Ocean. SOPHOCLES (Southern Ocean Physical Oceanography and Cryosphere Processes and Climate) will work with other modeling groups to improve the representation of the Southern Ocean in climate models. This will include cooperation with other modeling and observational groups to develop metrics to help evaluate models. In the Arctic, we are working to help develop, standardize, and implement observation and measurement protocols for Arctic sea ice in coastal, seasonal, and perennial ice zones.