Melt ponds on Arctic sea ice

Melt ponds on sea ice are an important feature of the Arctic, where they impact the surface energy balance, fluxes to the upper ocean (including light, salt, and freshwater), and other aspects of the physical and biogeochemical system. However, they remain unfamiliar to most earth system researchers, their physical properties are uncertain, and they are a challenge to model. In this talk, I provide an introduction to melt pond properties and physics, geared towards non-sea ice experts. I then discuss a new melt pond scheme for CESM3 and conclude with some preliminary observations of pond optics from the summer 2025 CONTRASTS cruise.