This project addresses four research questions to determine if Mixed-Phase Cloud Thinning (MPCT) should be prioritized as a method for reducing sea ice loss. For this method to be effective, we need to determine (1) the amount of supercooled liquid cloud layers present during winter, (2) if freezing them would cause substantial cooling at the surface, (3) if that cooling would increase sea ice, and (4) if Indigenous Peoples and local communities are open to the idea of investigating MPCT.

We will use historical multi-year in situ observations and models at Utqiagvik, Alaska, (1) to identify how often layers of supercooled liquid clouds occur, (2) to quantify how much changing this liquid to ice would affect surface warming, and (3) to simulate how much additional sea ice would form because of the change from liquid to ice, and we will also use our existing networks (4) to engage Arctic communities in discussions about MPCT. The project will improve understanding of the role of cloud phase for warming the Arctic surface in winter and of how the Arctic impacts global temperatures, circulation, and precipitation. If the project shows further research on MPCT is warranted, the observations and simulations will also provide realistic constraints on the extent to which MPCT could be effective and socially acceptable in reducing sea ice loss.