The effect of snow/sea ice type on the response of albedo and light penetration depth ( e -folding depth) to increasing black carbon

Abstract. The optical properties of snow/sea ice vary with age and by the processes they were formed, giving characteristic types of snow and sea ice. The response of albedo and light penetration depth (e-folding depth) to increasing mass-ratio of black carbon is shown to depend on the snow and sea ice type and the thickness of the snow or sea ice. The response of albedo and e-folding depth of three different types of snow (cold polar snow, windpacked snow and melting snow) and three sea ice (multi-year ice, first-year ice and melting sea ice) to increasing black carbon is calculated using a coupled atmosphere–snow/sea ice radiative-transfer model (TUV-snow), over the optical wavelengths of 300–700 nm. The snow and sea ice types are defined by a scattering-cross section, density and asymmetry parameter. The relative change in albedo of a melting snowpack is a factor of four more responsive to additions of black carbon compared to cold polar snow over a black carbon increase from 1 to 50 ng g−1. While the relative change in albedo of a melting sea ice is a factor of two more responsive to additions of black carbon compared to multi-year ice for the same black carbon mass-ratio increase. The response of e-folding depth is effectively not dependent on snow/sea ice type. The albedo of sea ice is more responsive to increased mass-ratios of black carbon than snow.