Changing Arctic Ocean freshwater pathways

Morison, James H.; Kwok, R.; Peralta‐Ferriz, Cecilia; Alkire, M. B.; Rigor, Ignatius; Andersen, R.; Steele, Michael

doi:10.1038/nature10705

Cited by 398 publications

(476 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…9). The model result is consistent to the observed scenario of changes in FW distribution in the two Arctic basins described by Morison et al (2012). They explained that the changes were due to a 5 cyclonic shift in the ocean pathway of Eurasian runoff associated with an increased Arctic Oscillation index.…”

Section: Variability Of Liquid Freshwatersupporting

confidence: 78%

A 4.5 km resolution Arctic Ocean simulation with the global multi-resolution model FESOM1.4

Wang¹,

Wekerle²,

Danilov³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. In the framework of developing a global modeling system which can facilitate modeling studies on Arctic Ocean and high-mid latitude linkage, we evaluate the Arctic Ocean simulated by the multi-resolution ocean sea-ice model FESOM.To explore the value of using high horizontal resolution for Arctic Ocean modeling, we use two global meshes differing in Atlantic Water (AW) mean state and variability. The deepening and thickening bias of the AW layer, a common issue found in coarse resolution simulations, is significantly alleviated by using higher resolution. The topographic steering of the AW is stronger and the seasonal and interannual temperature variability along the ocean bottom topography is enhanced in the high resolution simulation. The high resolution also improves the ocean surface circulation, mainly through a better representation of the narrow straits in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). The representation of CAA throughflow not only influences 10 the release of water masses through the other gateways, but also the circulation pathways inside the Arctic Ocean. However, the mean state and variability of Arctic freshwater content and the variability of freshwater transport through the Arctic gateways appear not to be very sensitive to the increase in resolution employed here. We also discuss model issues that are not directly linked to resolution, highlighting the need for further model development including improving parameterizations.

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Section: Variability Of Liquid Freshwatersupporting

confidence: 78%

A 4.5 km resolution Arctic Ocean simulation with the global multi-resolution model FESOM1.4

Wang¹,

Wekerle²,

Danilov³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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show abstract

“…However, results from e.g. Morison et al (2012) indicate a similar circulation pattern of the real Arctic Ocean mixed layer but the Beaufort Gyre seems to be slightly too extended in our model. Figure 15 compares the ensemble mean currents below the mixed layer in the Arctic at 109 m for the end of the twentieth century and at Fig.…”

Section: Arctic Ocean Circulationmentioning

confidence: 65%

Arctic climate change in 21st century CMIP5 simulations with EC-Earth

et al. 2012

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The Arctic climate change is analyzed in an ensemble of future projection simulations performed with the global coupled climate model EC-Earth2.3. EC-Earth simulates the twentieth century Arctic climate relatively well but the Arctic is about 2 K too cold and the sea ice thickness and extent are overestimated. In the twenty-first century, the results show a continuation and strengthening of the Arctic trends observed over the recent decades, which leads to a dramatically changed Arctic climate, especially in the high emission scenario RCP8.5. The annually averaged Arctic mean near-surface temperature increases by 12 K in RCP8.5, with largest warming in the Barents Sea region. The warming is most pronounced in winter and autumn and in the lower atmosphere. The Arctic winter temperature inversion is reduced in all scenarios and disappears in RCP8.5. The Arctic becomes ice free in September in all RCP8.5 simulations after a rapid reduction event without recovery around year 2060. Taking into account the overestimation of ice in the twentieth century, our model results indicate a likely ice-free Arctic in September around 2040. Sea ice reductions are most pronounced in the Barents Sea in all RCPs, which lead to the most dramatic changes in this region. Here, surface heat fluxes are strongly enhanced and the cloudiness is substantially decreased. The meridional heat flux into the Arctic is reduced in the atmosphere but increases in the ocean. This oceanic increase is dominated by an enhanced heat flux into the Barents Sea, which strongly contributes to the large sea ice reduction and surface-air warming in this region. Increased precipitation and river runoff lead to more freshwater input into the Arctic Ocean. However, most of the additional freshwater is stored in the Arctic Ocean while the total Arctic freshwater export only slightly increases.

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“…The enlarged gyre enables the relatively fresh Pacific waters to be distributed northward. However, Morison et al (2012) corresponds to the roughly 1 m increase in freshwater content seen in Fig. 14.…”

Section: Freshening In the 2000smentioning

confidence: 99%

Time and space variability of freshwater content, heat content and seasonal ice melt in the Arctic Ocean from 1991 to 2011

et al. 2013

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Abstract. Changes in the hydrography of the Arctic Ocean have recently been reported. The upper ocean has been freshening and pulses of warm Atlantic Water have been observed to spread into the Arctic Ocean. Although these changes have been intensively studied, salinity and temperature variations have less frequently been considered together. Here hydrographic observations, obtained by icebreaker expeditions conducted between 1991 and 2011, are analyzed and discussed. Five different water masses in the upper 1000 m of the water column are examined in five sub-basins of the Arctic Ocean. This allows for studying the variations of the distributions of the freshwater and heat contents in the Arctic Ocean not only in time but also laterally and vertically. In addition, the seasonal ice melt contribution is separated from the permanent, winter, freshwater content of the Polar Mixed Layer. Because the positions of the icebreaker stations vary between the years, the icebreaker observations are at each specific point in space and time compared with the Polar Science Center Hydrographic Climatology to separate the effects of space and time variability on the observations. The hydrographic melt water estimate is discussed and compared with the potential ice melt induced by atmospheric heat input estimated from the ERA–Interim and NCEP/NCAR reanalyses. After a period of increased salinity in the upper ocean during the 1990s, both the Polar Mixed Layer and the upper halocline have been freshening. The increase in freshwater content in the Polar Mixed Layer is primarily driven by a decrease in salinity, not by changes in Polar Mixed Layer depth, whereas the freshwater is accumulating in the upper halocline mainly through the increasing thickness of the halocline. This is especially evident in the Northern Canada Basin, where the most substantial freshening is observed. The warming, and to some extent also the increase in salinity, of the Atlantic Water during the early 1990s extended from the Nansen Basin into the Amundsen and Makarov basins, while the warm and saline inflows occurring during the 2000s appear to be confined to the Nansen Basin, suggesting that the warm and saline inflow through Fram Strait largely recirculates in the Nansen Basin.

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Changing Arctic Ocean freshwater pathways

Cited by 398 publications

References 30 publications

A 4.5 km resolution Arctic Ocean simulation with the global multi-resolution model FESOM1.4

A 4.5 km resolution Arctic Ocean simulation with the global multi-resolution model FESOM1.4

Arctic climate change in 21st century CMIP5 simulations with EC-Earth

Time and space variability of freshwater content, heat content and seasonal ice melt in the Arctic Ocean from 1991 to 2011

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