Chapter 4 Meteorology and Atmosphere–Surface Coupling in and around Polynyas

Minnett, Peter J.; Key, E.

doi:10.1016/s0422-9894(06)74004-1

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…However, heaters themselves can contaminate measurements. Other challenges to collecting turbulent flux in situ data include the presence of freezing rain encasing an anemometer in ice affecting wind measurements, extremely low temperatures affecting temperature and humidity measurements, and accounting for the effects of the motion and profile of the observing ships [92]. Despite these difficulties, in situ observations represent the standard.…”

Section: In Situ Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meteorological observations over the ice pack have been taken via aircraft surveys, manned and automated observing stations, and onboard ships. However, these are expensive to maintain and sparse in location and frequency [92]. Harsh meteorological conditions create many challenges in deploying observational platforms in the Arctic.…”

Section: In Situ Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resultant SH and LH fluxes warm the surrounding BL above and downwind, modifying mesoscale atmospheric motions and in cases create plume clouds transported downstream [92,[166][167][168]. It is also hypothesized that the presence of leads, though only covering 1-5% of the total Arctic surface area, results in enough evaporation to keep the near-surface humidity Arctic-wide near saturation with respect to ice [155].…”

Section: Sea Icementioning

confidence: 99%

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On the Increasing Importance of Air-Sea Exchanges in a Thawing Arctic: A Review

et al. 2018

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Forty years ago, climate scientists predicted the Arctic to be one of Earth's most sensitive climate regions and thus extremely vulnerable to increased CO 2 . The rapid and unprecedented changes observed in the Arctic confirm this prediction. Especially significant, observed sea ice loss is altering the exchange of mass, energy, and momentum between the Arctic Ocean and atmosphere.As an important component of air-sea exchange, surface turbulent fluxes are controlled by vertical gradients of temperature and humidity between the surface and atmosphere, wind speed, and surface roughness, indicating that they respond to other forcing mechanisms such as atmospheric advection, ocean mixing, and radiative flux changes. The exchange of energy between the atmosphere and surface via surface turbulent fluxes in turn feeds back on the Arctic surface energy budget, sea ice, clouds, boundary layer temperature and humidity, and atmospheric and oceanic circulations. Understanding and attributing variability and trends in surface turbulent fluxes is important because they influence the magnitude of Arctic climate change, sea ice cover variability, and the atmospheric circulation response to increased CO 2 . This paper reviews current knowledge of Arctic Ocean surface turbulent fluxes and their effects on climate. We conclude that Arctic Ocean surface turbulent fluxes are having an increasingly consequential influence on Arctic climate variability in response to strong regional trends in the air-surface temperature contrast related to the changing character of the Arctic sea ice cover. Arctic Ocean surface turbulent energy exchanges are not smooth and steady but rather irregular and episodic, and consideration of the episodic nature of surface turbulent fluxes is essential for improving Arctic climate projections.

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Section: In Situ Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: In Situ Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sea Icementioning

confidence: 99%

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On the Increasing Importance of Air-Sea Exchanges in a Thawing Arctic: A Review

et al. 2018

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“…They are clearly associated with the complex ocean and atmosphere processes, such as the ocean to atmosphere heat fluxes (Minnett and Key 2007), CO 2 exchange (Sweeney et al 2000), the carbon cycle (Becquevort and Smith 2001), the ocean circulation (Buffoni et al 2002), biological carbon pump, and high primary production (PP) (Arrigo and van Dijken 2003;Lee et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evident Role of Clouds on Phytoplankton Abundance in Antarctic Coastal Polynyas

La¹,

Park²

2016

Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.

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High-level primary production (PP) sustainability in the Antarctic coastal polynyas has not been adequately addressed. We investigated the relationship between the Antarctic coastal polynyas phytoplankton biomass (as reflected by Chl-a) and the cloud cover, which dominantly influences the light conditions. Phytoplankton biomass in Antarctic coastal polynyas showed a robust correlation with the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and the cloud fraction. However, a different relationship was observed between the phytoplankton biomass and the PAR. This relationship depended on both the ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the geographical location of the coastal polynyas. High intensity UV radiation is suspected to be an inhibitor of phytoplankton biomass. This indicates that the phytoplankton biomass is effectively limited by light intensity, which can be reduced by clouds, particularly mid-and high-level clouds, but it is not limited by light under high-level UV radiation exposure conditions.

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“…Polynyas are an important component of the polar climate system that have a profound impact on atmospheric, oceanographic and biological processes [ Smith and Barber , 2007]. For example, they are regions of enhanced air‐sea interaction that can lead to cloud formation as well as water mass transformation and abyssal water formation [ Minnett and Key , 2007; Williams et al , 2007]. Polynyas are also amongst the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet with extensive phytoplankton blooms as well as enhanced concentrations of birds, fish and marine mammals [ Arrigo , 2007].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Wrangel Island Polynya in early summer: Trends and relationships to other polynyas and the Beaufort Sea High

Moore¹,

Pickart²

2012

Geophysical Research Letters

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Polynyas, regions of reduced sea ice concentration relative to their surroundings, are important features of the polar climate system in which enhanced fluxes of heat, moisture, and momentum can occur between the atmosphere and ocean. As such, they play a significant role in many atmospheric, oceanographic and biological processes. There are concerns that in a warming climate, in which there is a trend towards a reduction in sea ice cover, that the location, size and duration of many polynyas may change resulting in climatological and ecological impacts. In this paper, we identify an early summer manifestation of the Wrangel Island polynya that forms in the western Chuckchi Sea. We show that over the past 30 years there has been an increased frequency of occurrence as well as a doubling in the size of the polynya. The polynya is shown to form when there is an enhanced easterly flow over the Chukchi Sea that is associated with an anomalously intense Beaufort Sea High (BSH), a closed anti‐cyclonic atmospheric circulation that forms over the Beaufort Sea. We also show that there has been a concomitant trend towards a more intense BSH over the same time period and we propose that this trend is responsible for the observed changes in the Wrangel Island polynya. Given its large and increasing size, the early summer polynya may also play an important and unaccounted role in the physical and biological oceanography of the western Chukchi Sea.

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Chapter 4 Meteorology and Atmosphere–Surface Coupling in and around Polynyas

Cited by 14 publications

References 116 publications

On the Increasing Importance of Air-Sea Exchanges in a Thawing Arctic: A Review

On the Increasing Importance of Air-Sea Exchanges in a Thawing Arctic: A Review

The Evident Role of Clouds on Phytoplankton Abundance in Antarctic Coastal Polynyas

The Wrangel Island Polynya in early summer: Trends and relationships to other polynyas and the Beaufort Sea High

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