Sea Ice Variability in the Nordic Seas

The variability of ice distribution in the Nordic Seas is considered for the period 1966-1988. The average maximum extension is found to be nearly constant for the whole area, except for the Iceland Sea where there is a reduction of about 33%. The average minimum extension shows a reduction between...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Vinje, Torgny
Other Authors: NORSK POLARINSTITUTT OSLO
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1992
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Meteorology
*DISTRIBUTION
*ICE MECHANICS
*SEA ICE
BARENTS SEA
COMPARISON
ESTIMATES
GREENLAND SEA
HEAT
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
THICKNESS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
*Global climate change
Component Reports
Ice distribution
Barents Sea
Fairbanks
Greenland
Greenland Sea
Ice
Iceland
Nordic Seas
permafrost
Sea ice
Alaska
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADP007263
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADP007263
Description
Summary:The variability of ice distribution in the Nordic Seas is considered for the period 1966-1988. The average maximum extension is found to be nearly constant for the whole area, except for the Iceland Sea where there is a reduction of about 33%. The average minimum extension shows a reduction between 13% and 40%, except for the Greenland Sea where the changes are insignificant. The largest reductions in the minimum extension are observed in the Barents and the Iceland Seas. Although these calculations are based on regression analysis, rendering the best estimate of the observed changes, the variability is so large that the series becomes too short for statistically significant conclusions. A comparison with older data shows that the average minimum extension of the ice in the Barents Sea has decreased drastically since the turn of the century. Estimations made for the Barents Sea suggest that the average increase over the last two decades of the area being melted from the end of April to the end of August may be caused by either a decrease in the ice thickness of about 17% or an increase of the heat input of about 20%, or a combination of these effects. This article is from 'Proceedings of the International Conference on the Role of the Polar Regions in Global Change Held in Fairbanks, Alaska on 11-15 June 1990. Volume 1', AD-A253 027, p23-27. See also Volume 2, AD-A253 028.

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