Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones
Signatures of ocean eddies, fronts, and filaments are commonly observed within marginal ice zones (MIZs) from satellite images of sea ice concentration, and in situ observations via ice-tethered profilers or underice gliders. However, localized and intermittent sea ice heating and advection by ocean...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
American Geophysical Union
2017
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/2/Manucharyan_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Oceans.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335 |
id |
ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:82887 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:82887 2023-05-15T15:10:09+02:00 Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones Manucharyan, Georgy E. Thompson, Andrew F. 2017-12 application/pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/2/Manucharyan_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Oceans.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335 en eng American Geophysical Union https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/2/Manucharyan_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Oceans.pdf Manucharyan, Georgy E. and Thompson, Andrew F. (2017) Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 122 (12). pp. 9455-9475. ISSN 2169-9291. doi:10.1002/2017JC012895. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335> other Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012895 2021-11-18T18:44:09Z Signatures of ocean eddies, fronts, and filaments are commonly observed within marginal ice zones (MIZs) from satellite images of sea ice concentration, and in situ observations via ice-tethered profilers or underice gliders. However, localized and intermittent sea ice heating and advection by ocean eddies are currently not accounted for in climate models and may contribute to their biases and errors in sea ice forecasts. Here, we explore mechanical sea ice interactions with underlying submesoscale ocean turbulence. We demonstrate that the release of potential energy stored in meltwater fronts can lead to energetic submesoscale motions along MIZs with spatial scales O(10 km) and Rossby numbers O(1). In low-wind conditions, cyclonic eddies and filaments efficiently trap the sea ice and advect it over warmer surface ocean waters where it can effectively melt. The horizontal eddy diffusivity of sea ice mass and heat across the MIZ can reach O(200 m^2 s^(−1)). Submesoscale ocean variability also induces large vertical velocities (order 10 m d^(−1)) that can bring relatively warm subsurface waters into the mixed layer. The ocean-sea ice heat fluxes are localized over cyclonic eddies and filaments reaching about 100 W m^(−2). We speculate that these submesoscale-driven intermittent fluxes of heat and sea ice can contribute to the seasonal evolution of MIZs. With the continuing global warming and sea ice thickness reduction in the Arctic Ocean, submesoscale sea ice-ocean processes are expected to become increasingly prominent. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Ocean Global warming Sea ice Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Arctic Arctic Ocean Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 12 9455 9475 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
Signatures of ocean eddies, fronts, and filaments are commonly observed within marginal ice zones (MIZs) from satellite images of sea ice concentration, and in situ observations via ice-tethered profilers or underice gliders. However, localized and intermittent sea ice heating and advection by ocean eddies are currently not accounted for in climate models and may contribute to their biases and errors in sea ice forecasts. Here, we explore mechanical sea ice interactions with underlying submesoscale ocean turbulence. We demonstrate that the release of potential energy stored in meltwater fronts can lead to energetic submesoscale motions along MIZs with spatial scales O(10 km) and Rossby numbers O(1). In low-wind conditions, cyclonic eddies and filaments efficiently trap the sea ice and advect it over warmer surface ocean waters where it can effectively melt. The horizontal eddy diffusivity of sea ice mass and heat across the MIZ can reach O(200 m^2 s^(−1)). Submesoscale ocean variability also induces large vertical velocities (order 10 m d^(−1)) that can bring relatively warm subsurface waters into the mixed layer. The ocean-sea ice heat fluxes are localized over cyclonic eddies and filaments reaching about 100 W m^(−2). We speculate that these submesoscale-driven intermittent fluxes of heat and sea ice can contribute to the seasonal evolution of MIZs. With the continuing global warming and sea ice thickness reduction in the Arctic Ocean, submesoscale sea ice-ocean processes are expected to become increasingly prominent. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Manucharyan, Georgy E. Thompson, Andrew F. |
spellingShingle |
Manucharyan, Georgy E. Thompson, Andrew F. Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
author_facet |
Manucharyan, Georgy E. Thompson, Andrew F. |
author_sort |
Manucharyan, Georgy E. |
title |
Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
title_short |
Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
title_full |
Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
title_fullStr |
Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
title_full_unstemmed |
Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones |
title_sort |
submesoscale sea ice-ocean interactions in marginal ice zones |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/2/Manucharyan_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Oceans.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335 |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Global warming Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Global warming Sea ice |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/82887/2/Manucharyan_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research__Oceans.pdf Manucharyan, Georgy E. and Thompson, Andrew F. (2017) Submesoscale Sea Ice-Ocean Interactions in Marginal Ice Zones. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 122 (12). pp. 9455-9475. ISSN 2169-9291. doi:10.1002/2017JC012895. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20171102-103358335> |
op_rights |
other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012895 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
container_volume |
122 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
9455 |
op_container_end_page |
9475 |
_version_ |
1766341201711071232 |