Sea ice extent and the global climate system
Sea ice is a remarkable component of the global climate system. It can form over up to about 10 % of the global ocean area, and creates an insulating barrier between the relatively warm seawater and the cold atmosphere, allowing a temperature difference that may be tens of degrees over only a couple...
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ftjpolarres:oai:journals.openacademia.net:article/2089 2023-05-15T18:02:43+02:00 Sea ice extent and the global climate system Dick, Chad 2003-01-06 application/pdf https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089 https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 eng eng Norwegian Polar Institute https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089/5340 https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089 doi:10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 Copyright (c) 2018 Polar Research Polar Research; Vol. 22 No. 1 (2003): Special issue: Proceedings of the Workshop on Sea Ice Extent and the Global Climate System; 1-4 1751-8369 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article 2003 ftjpolarres https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 2021-11-11T19:11:56Z Sea ice is a remarkable component of the global climate system. It can form over up to about 10 % of the global ocean area, and creates an insulating barrier between the relatively warm seawater and the cold atmosphere, allowing a temperature difference that may be tens of degrees over only a couple of meters. It reduces evaporation from the ocean, leading to a drier atmosphere than would otherwise exist. Sea ice modifies the radiation balance at the Earth’s surface because it supports snow (the most reflective of the Earth’s natural surfaces, with an albedo of up to approximately 0.8), where otherwise there would be seawater (the least reflective, with an albedo of about 0.07). As sea ice forms it excludes brine, deepening the ocean surface mixed layer and influencing the formation of deep and bottom water. As it melts, it releases relatively fresh water, stratifying the upper layers of the ocean. Through these processes sea ice exerts an enormous influence on the atmospheric and oceanic circulation in cold regions and indeed the climate of the rest of the globe. Article in Journal/Newspaper Polar Research Sea ice Polar Research (E-Journal) Polar Research 22 1 1 4 |
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Sea ice is a remarkable component of the global climate system. It can form over up to about 10 % of the global ocean area, and creates an insulating barrier between the relatively warm seawater and the cold atmosphere, allowing a temperature difference that may be tens of degrees over only a couple of meters. It reduces evaporation from the ocean, leading to a drier atmosphere than would otherwise exist. Sea ice modifies the radiation balance at the Earth’s surface because it supports snow (the most reflective of the Earth’s natural surfaces, with an albedo of up to approximately 0.8), where otherwise there would be seawater (the least reflective, with an albedo of about 0.07). As sea ice forms it excludes brine, deepening the ocean surface mixed layer and influencing the formation of deep and bottom water. As it melts, it releases relatively fresh water, stratifying the upper layers of the ocean. Through these processes sea ice exerts an enormous influence on the atmospheric and oceanic circulation in cold regions and indeed the climate of the rest of the globe. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dick, Chad |
spellingShingle |
Dick, Chad Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
author_facet |
Dick, Chad |
author_sort |
Dick, Chad |
title |
Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
title_short |
Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
title_full |
Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
title_fullStr |
Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sea ice extent and the global climate system |
title_sort |
sea ice extent and the global climate system |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089 https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 |
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Polar Research Sea ice |
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Polar Research Sea ice |
op_source |
Polar Research; Vol. 22 No. 1 (2003): Special issue: Proceedings of the Workshop on Sea Ice Extent and the Global Climate System; 1-4 1751-8369 |
op_relation |
https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089/5340 https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2089 doi:10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2018 Polar Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v22i1.6436 |
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Polar Research |
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22 |
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