Simulated Arctic atmospheric feedbacks associated with late summer sea ice anomalies


Contact
Sabine.Helbig [ at ] awi.de

Abstract

The coupled regional climate model HIRHAM-NAOSIM is used to investigate feedbacks between September sea ice anomalies in the Arctic and atmospheric conditions in autumn and the subsequent winter. A six-member ensemble of simulations spanning the period 1949–2008 is analyzed. The results show that negative Arctic sea ice anomalies are associated with increased heat and moisture fluxes, decreased static stability, increased lower tropospheric moisture, and modified baroclinicity, synoptic activity, and atmospheric large-scale circulation. The circulation changes in the following winter display meridionalized flow but are not fully characteristic of a negative Arctic Oscillation pattern, though they do support cold winter temperatures in northern Eurasia. Internally generated climate variability causes significant uncertainty in the simulated circulation changes due to sea ice-atmosphere interactions. The simulated atmospheric feedback patterns depend strongly on the position and strength of the regional sea ice anomalies and on the analyzed time period. The strongest atmospheric feedbacks are related to sea ice anomalies in the Beaufort Sea. This work suggests that there are complex feedback mechanisms that support a statistical link between reduced September sea ice and Arctic winter circulation. However, the feedbacks depend on regional and decadal variations in the coupled atmosphere-ocean-sea ice system.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Primary Division
Programs
Primary Topic
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
35708
DOI 10.1002/jgrd.50584

Cite as
Rinke, A. , Dethloff, K. , Dorn, W. , Handorf, D. and Moore, J. C. (2013): Simulated Arctic atmospheric feedbacks associated with late summer sea ice anomalies , Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 118 (14), pp. 7698-7714 . doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50584


Download
[thumbnail of Rinke_et_al_2013.pdf]
Preview
PDF
Rinke_et_al_2013.pdf

Download (7MB) | Preview
Cite this document as:

Share
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email


Citation

Geographical region
N/A

Research Platforms
N/A

Campaigns
N/A


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item