Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard
We focus on the Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in order to elucidate the possible role of Atlantic water (AW) inflow in shaping ice conditions. Ice conditions substantially affect the temperature regime of the Spitsbergen archipelago, particularly in winter. We test the hypothes...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/201818 |
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| _version_ | 1832549372242427904 |
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| author | Vladimir V. Ivanov Vladimir A. Alexeev Irina Repina Nikolay V. Koldunov Alexander Smirnov |
| author_facet | Vladimir V. Ivanov Vladimir A. Alexeev Irina Repina Nikolay V. Koldunov Alexander Smirnov |
| author_sort | Vladimir V. Ivanov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We focus on the Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in order to elucidate the possible role of Atlantic water (AW) inflow in shaping ice conditions. Ice conditions substantially affect the temperature regime of the Spitsbergen archipelago, particularly in winter. We test the hypothesis that intensive vertical mixing at the upper AW boundary releases substantial heat upwards that eventually reaches the under-ice water layer, thinning the ice cover. We examine spatial and temporal variation of ice concentration against time series of wind, air temperature, and AW temperature. Analysis of 1979–2011 ice properties revealed a general tendency of decreasing ice concentration that commenced after the mid-1990s. AW temperature time series in Fram Strait feature a monotonic increase after the mid-1990s, consistent with shrinking ice cover. Ice thins due to increased sensible heat flux from AW; ice erosion from below allows wind and local currents to more effectively break ice. The winter spatial pattern of sea ice concentration is collocated with patterns of surface heat flux anomalies. Winter minimum sea ice thickness occurs in the ice pack interior above the AW path, clearly indicating AW influence on ice thickness. Our study indicates that in the AW inflow region heat flux from the ocean reduces the ice thickness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-424623d4a6274497bf746b975c21f71c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9309 1687-9317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj-art-424623d4a6274497bf746b975c21f71c2025-02-03T06:11:25ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172012-01-01201210.1155/2012/201818201818Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of SvalbardVladimir V. Ivanov0Vladimir A. Alexeev1Irina Repina2Nikolay V. Koldunov3Alexander Smirnov4Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg 199397, RussiaInternational Arctic Research Centre, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USAA.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics of RAS, Moscow 119017, RussiaInstitute of Oceanography, University of Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, GermanyArctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg 199397, RussiaWe focus on the Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in order to elucidate the possible role of Atlantic water (AW) inflow in shaping ice conditions. Ice conditions substantially affect the temperature regime of the Spitsbergen archipelago, particularly in winter. We test the hypothesis that intensive vertical mixing at the upper AW boundary releases substantial heat upwards that eventually reaches the under-ice water layer, thinning the ice cover. We examine spatial and temporal variation of ice concentration against time series of wind, air temperature, and AW temperature. Analysis of 1979–2011 ice properties revealed a general tendency of decreasing ice concentration that commenced after the mid-1990s. AW temperature time series in Fram Strait feature a monotonic increase after the mid-1990s, consistent with shrinking ice cover. Ice thins due to increased sensible heat flux from AW; ice erosion from below allows wind and local currents to more effectively break ice. The winter spatial pattern of sea ice concentration is collocated with patterns of surface heat flux anomalies. Winter minimum sea ice thickness occurs in the ice pack interior above the AW path, clearly indicating AW influence on ice thickness. Our study indicates that in the AW inflow region heat flux from the ocean reduces the ice thickness.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/201818 |
| spellingShingle | Vladimir V. Ivanov Vladimir A. Alexeev Irina Repina Nikolay V. Koldunov Alexander Smirnov Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard Advances in Meteorology |
| title | Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard |
| title_full | Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard |
| title_fullStr | Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard |
| title_short | Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard |
| title_sort | tracing atlantic water signature in the arctic sea ice cover east of svalbard |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/201818 |
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