High-resolution MODIS thermal infrared satellite data are used to infer spatial and temporal characteristics of 17 prominent coastal polynya regions over the entire Arctic basin. Thin-ice thickness distributions ( 2km) polynyas and also large leads is increased. Despite the short record of 13 winter seasons, positive trends in ice production are detected for several regions of the eastern Arctic (most significantly in the Laptev Sea region with an increase of 6.8 km³/yr) and the North Water polynya, while other polynyas in the western Arctic show a more pronounced variability with varying trends. We emphasize the role of the Laptev Sea polynyas as being a major influence on Transpolar Drift characteristics through a distinct relation between increasing ice production and ice area export. Overall, our study presents a spatially highly accurate characterization of circumpolar polynya dynamics and ice production, which should be valuable for future modeling efforts on atmosphere - sea ice - ocean interactions in the Arctic.

Supplement to: Preußer, Andreas; Heinemann, Günther; Willmes, Sascha; Paul, Stephan (2016): Circumpolar polynya regions and ice production in the Arctic: Results from MODIS thermal infrared imagery for 2002/2003 to 2014/2015 with a regional focus on the Laptev Sea. The Cryosphere, 10(6), 3021-3042