Ice-mass balance buoy (IMB)
The IMB was developed by Dr. Don Perovich of the U.S. Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire. Our understanding of climate change—and its impact—hinges on measuring the changes in volume or mass of the Arctic sea ice cover. Changes in ice volume result from changes in the ice extent (how much area the ice covers) and the ice thickness. While scientists can measure ice area using satellites, measuring ice thickness is much more tricky. The IMB buoys collect data on the ice thickness and temperature, reporting in real-time via System Argos to Dr. Perovich’s lab in New Hampshire.
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