The presence of sea ice (and snow) at high latitudes plays an important role in the state and variability of the high latitude and global climate through various processes and feedback mechanisms. These include the ice-albedo feedback, the ventilation of the relatively warm ocean in leads in winter, the fluxes of salt and fresh water implied when ocean water freezes in one location while the ice melts in some other location, and the insulation effect sea ice which reduces the heat flux and momentum transfer between the atmosphere and the ocean
