High Resolution Sea-Ice Modelling and Validation of the Arctic with Focus on South Greenland Waters, 2004–2013

• Main Authors: Madsen, K., Rasmussen, T., Ribergaard, M., Ringgaard, I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; Arktis; Arktis*; Cape Farewell; East Greenland; east greenland current; Polarforschung; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_1504406; https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_1504406_3/component/file_1577914/polfor.2016.006.pdf; https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_1504406_3/component/file_1577915/polfor.2016.006_a.pdf

We introduce an operational model system of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans with a horizontal resolution of about 10 km. The model system consists of the 3D ocean model HYCOM coupled with the sea-ice model CICE. This study presents a hindcast simulation from 2004–2013, which has been continued in operational mode, and is continuously updated with a 6-day operational forecast. We first focus on the general ice cover and thickness simulated by this hindcast. The Arctic Sea ice cover is to a large degree fixed by assimilation and the modelled total sea ice volume is within the uncertainty range of available observations and other models. Then, we zoom in on the ocean around Cape Farewell (the southern tip of Greenland), which is the main focus area for the Ice Charting by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). Simulating the sea-ice conditions in this area is challenging, since it requires correct simulation of the ice export along the East Greenland coast, the interplay between cold Polar and warm Atlantic water masses within the East Greenland Current and the effects of local weather systems. The model replicates the seasonal and interannual ice variability as compared to the DMI ice chart index for Cape Farewell, but the total number of weeks with sea ice is underestimated by the model. Finally, in situ profile observations near Fylla Bank off West Greenland are used to validate the properties of the Polar and Atlantic water masses within the West Greenland Current. Despite a warm bias originating at the sea surface, the hindcast reproduces the pulsating nature of the interplay between the two water masses and demonstrates interannual variability in the same range as observed. Es wird ein operationelles Modellsystem für die Arktis und den Atlantischen Ozean mit einer horizontalen Auflösung von 10 km vorgestellt. Das Modellsystem besteht aus dem 3D Ozeanmodell HYCOM, gekoppelt mit dem Meereismodell CICE. Die Arbeit zeigt eine auf die Periode 2004 bis 2013 zurückschauende Simulation (Hindcast), die im ...