A continuum model of melt pond evolution on Arctic sea ice

During the northern hemisphere summer, absorbed solar radiation melts snow and the upper surface of Arctic sea ice to generate meltwater that accumulates in ponds. Melt ponds are poorly represented in GCMs despite their significant influence on the albedo of sea ice during the melting season. Melt ponds cover up to 50% of the sea ice surface during the melting season, decreasing the albedo of the surface by up to 10%. In our work we developed a stand-alone melt pond evolution model suitable for inclusion in existing GCM sea ice models: considering that these do not describe the real ice topography, various assumptions have been made. Other related issues such as lateral drainage and enhanced melting rates depending on the pond depth are taken into account. We will present the results of a stand-alone melt pond model. Furthermore we will present some preliminary results of the incorporation of this new parameterisation into the stand-alone version of the CICE sea ice model.