Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration
The amount and spatial extent of Greenland Sea (GS) ice are primarily controlled by the sea ice export across the Fram Strait (FS) and by local seasonal sea ice formation, melting, and sea ice dynamics. In this study, using satellite passive microwave sea ice observations, atmospheric and a coupled...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc85426 2023-05-15T16:18:07+02:00 Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration Chatterjee, Sourav Raj, Roshin P. Bertino, Laurent Mernild, Sebastian H. Subeesh, Meethale Puthukkottu Murukesh, Nuncio Ravichandran, Muthalagu 2021-03-12 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1307/2021/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1307/2021/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2021 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 2021-03-15T17:22:14Z The amount and spatial extent of Greenland Sea (GS) ice are primarily controlled by the sea ice export across the Fram Strait (FS) and by local seasonal sea ice formation, melting, and sea ice dynamics. In this study, using satellite passive microwave sea ice observations, atmospheric and a coupled ocean-sea ice reanalysis system, TOPAZ4, we show that both the atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the Nordic Seas (NS) act in tandem to explain the SIC variability in the south-western GS. Northerly wind anomalies associated with anomalously low sea level pressure (SLP) over the NS reduce the sea ice export in the south-western GS due to westward Ekman drift of sea ice. On the other hand, the positive wind stress curl strengthens the cyclonic Greenland Sea Gyre (GSG) circulation in the central GS. An intensified GSG circulation may result in stronger Ekman divergence of surface cold and fresh waters away from the south-western GS. Both of these processes can reduce the freshwater content and weaken the upper-ocean stratification in the south-western GS. At the same time, warm and saline Atlantic Water (AW) anomalies are recirculated from the FS region to the south-western GS by a stronger GSG circulation. Under weakly stratified conditions, enhanced vertical mixing of these subsurface AW anomalies can warm the surface waters and inhibit new sea ice formation, further reducing the SIC in the south-western GS. Text Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea Nordic Seas Sea ice Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Curl ENVELOPE(-63.071,-63.071,-70.797,-70.797) Greenland The Cryosphere 15 3 1307 1319 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
The amount and spatial extent of Greenland Sea (GS) ice are primarily controlled by the sea ice export across the Fram Strait (FS) and by local seasonal sea ice formation, melting, and sea ice dynamics. In this study, using satellite passive microwave sea ice observations, atmospheric and a coupled ocean-sea ice reanalysis system, TOPAZ4, we show that both the atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the Nordic Seas (NS) act in tandem to explain the SIC variability in the south-western GS. Northerly wind anomalies associated with anomalously low sea level pressure (SLP) over the NS reduce the sea ice export in the south-western GS due to westward Ekman drift of sea ice. On the other hand, the positive wind stress curl strengthens the cyclonic Greenland Sea Gyre (GSG) circulation in the central GS. An intensified GSG circulation may result in stronger Ekman divergence of surface cold and fresh waters away from the south-western GS. Both of these processes can reduce the freshwater content and weaken the upper-ocean stratification in the south-western GS. At the same time, warm and saline Atlantic Water (AW) anomalies are recirculated from the FS region to the south-western GS by a stronger GSG circulation. Under weakly stratified conditions, enhanced vertical mixing of these subsurface AW anomalies can warm the surface waters and inhibit new sea ice formation, further reducing the SIC in the south-western GS. |
format |
Text |
author |
Chatterjee, Sourav Raj, Roshin P. Bertino, Laurent Mernild, Sebastian H. Subeesh, Meethale Puthukkottu Murukesh, Nuncio Ravichandran, Muthalagu |
spellingShingle |
Chatterjee, Sourav Raj, Roshin P. Bertino, Laurent Mernild, Sebastian H. Subeesh, Meethale Puthukkottu Murukesh, Nuncio Ravichandran, Muthalagu Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
author_facet |
Chatterjee, Sourav Raj, Roshin P. Bertino, Laurent Mernild, Sebastian H. Subeesh, Meethale Puthukkottu Murukesh, Nuncio Ravichandran, Muthalagu |
author_sort |
Chatterjee, Sourav |
title |
Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
title_short |
Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
title_full |
Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
title_fullStr |
Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
title_full_unstemmed |
Combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on Greenland sea ice concentration |
title_sort |
combined influence of oceanic and atmospheric circulations on greenland sea ice concentration |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1307/2021/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.071,-63.071,-70.797,-70.797) |
geographic |
Curl Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Curl Greenland |
genre |
Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea Nordic Seas Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea Nordic Seas Sea ice |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1307/2021/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1307-2021 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
1307 |
op_container_end_page |
1319 |
_version_ |
1766004247488364544 |