Partial recovery of the Arctic Ocean halocline

Boyd, T.; Steele, Michael; Muench, Robin D.; Gunn, John T.

doi:10.1029/2001gl014047

Cited by 88 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…[17] With declining AO, there have been reversals in the ocean such as the partial recovery of the cold halocline layer [e.g., Boyd et al, 2002]. However, the return of the central Arctic hydrography to near climatology is perhaps the most significant reversion we have seen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Relaxation of central Arctic Ocean hydrography to pre‐1990s climatology

Morison¹,

Steele²,

Kikuchi

et al. 2006

Geophysical Research Letters

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Relaxation of central Arctic Ocean hydrography to pre‐1990s climatology

Morison¹,

Steele²,

Kikuchi

et al. 2006

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…A significant decline in the cold halocline layer above the Atlantic Water layer was also observed in the 1990s. A partial recovery from 1998 to 2001 is thought to have been a consequence of changes in river extent due to prolonged changes in the wind field (Björk et al, 2002;Boyd et al, 2002). The cold halocline layer in the Arctic Ocean establishes the barrier that prevents mixing by convection of the warm Atlantic Water to the upper layers, thus allowing for sea-ice growth during the winter season.…”

Section: Hemispheric-scale Changes: the Oceanmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Changing Climate of the Arctic

Barber¹,

Lukovich²,

Keogak³

et al. 2009

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. The first and strongest signs of global-scale climate change exist in the high latitudes of the planet. Evidence is now accumulating that the Arctic is warming, and responses are being observed across physical, biological, and social systems. The impact of climate change on oceanographic, sea-ice, and atmospheric processes is demonstrated in observational studies that highlight changes in temperature and salinity, which influence global oceanic circulation, also known as thermohaline circulation, as well as a continued decline in sea-ice extent and thickness, which influences communication between oceanic and atmospheric processes. Perspectives from Inuvialuit community representatives who have witnessed the effects of climate change underline the rapidity with which such changes have occurred in the North. An analysis of potential future impacts of climate change on marine and terrestrial ecosystems underscores the need for the establishment of effective adaptation strategies in the Arctic. Initiatives that link scientific knowledge and research with traditional knowledge are recommended to aid Canada's northern communities in developing such strategies.Key words: Arctic climate change, marine science, sea ice, atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems RÉSUMÉ. Les premiers signes et les signes les plus révélateurs attestant du changement climatique qui s'exerce à l'échelle planétaire se manifestent dans les hautes latitudes du globe. Il existe de plus en plus de preuves que l'Arctique se réchauffe, et diverses réactions s'observent tant au sein des systèmes physiques et biologiques que sociaux. Les incidences du changement climatique sur les processus océanographiques, la glace de mer et les processus atmosphériques s'avèrent évidentes dans le cadre d'études d'observation qui mettent l'accent sur les changements de température et de salinité, changements qui exercent une influence sur la circulation océanique mondiale -également appelée circulation thermohaline -ainsi que sur le déclin constant de l'étendue et de l'épaisseur de glace de mer, ce qui influence la communication entre les processus océaniques et les processus atmosphériques. Les perspectives de certains Inuvialuits qui ont été témoins des effets du changement climatique font mention de la rapidité avec laquelle ces changements se produisent dans le Nord. L'analyse des incidences éventuelles du changement climatique sur les écosystèmes marin et terrestre fait ressortir la nécessité de mettre en oeuvre des stratégies d'adaptation efficaces dans l'Arctique. Des initiatives reliant les recherches et connaissances scientifiques aux connaissances traditionnelles sont recommandées afin de venir en aide aux collectivités du Nord canadien pour que celles-ci puissent aboutir à de telles stratégies.Mots clés : changement climatique de l'Arctique, sciences de la mer, glace de mer, atmosphère, écosystèmes marin et terrestre Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguère.

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“…According to Boyd et al (2002), the surface salinity in the Nansen, Amundsen and Makarov basins continued to increase until 1998. Although this year is not represented in the data sets used in this study, the observations from 1996 and 2001 suggest that the salinification ceases in the late 1990s.…”

Section: The 2000smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the mid-1990s the wind-driven circulation has favoured accumulation of freshwater (Björk et al, 2002;Boyd et al, 2002;Proshutinsky et al, 2009). Nevertheless, the sea ice volume has continued to diminish with startling speed (Comiso, 2011;Cavalieri and Parkinson, 2012;Stroeve et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

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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Partial recovery of the Arctic Ocean halocline

Cited by 88 publications

References 14 publications

Relaxation of central Arctic Ocean hydrography to pre‐1990s climatology

Relaxation of central Arctic Ocean hydrography to pre‐1990s climatology

The Changing Climate of the Arctic

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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