Decadal variability of the Arctic Ocean in a changing climate

Abstract:

Arctic climate is characterized by strong interannual to interannual/decadal variability involving interactions with the overlying atmosphere as well as exchanges with the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. By increasing the geographic area of contact as well as by changing the mean stratification and overturning circulation future reductions of sea ice cover offers the potential to enhance and alter these interactions. This study begins with a comparison of simulated and historical interannual/decadal variability in the Arctic Ocean, and the relative importance of local atmospheric heating and ocean heat convergence, as they appear in a collection of CMIP5 model simulations. This analysis reveals that the models can be classified into two groups depending on their responses. Then we examine the changes in this variability over the coming centuries as simulated by the models, which reveal dramatic changes to the strength and frequency of the variability as the sea ice retreats. The connections to interannual/decadal variations of the overturning circulation and to atmospheric weather patterns will be discussed.