On the local meteorology at the marginal ice zone of the Bering Sea

Reynolds, Michael

doi:10.1029/jc089ic04p06515

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(11 reference statements)

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“…For this case study, the off-ice wind stress magnitude increases downwind across the ice edge, unlike the off-ice studies referenced previously [Overland et al, 1983;Reynolds, 1984;Kantha and Mellor, 1989b S, and R are 1.35, 2.6, 1.3, and 2.3, respectively, indicating that factor W and factor R effects are the most important overall determinate of wind stress variations for case study 2, as they were for case 1. Factors B and S are correlated with each other, and with factor W, so that the combined effect of factors B, W, and S dominates the wind stress field in the ice edge region.…”

Section: Summary Of Case Studycontrasting

confidence: 64%

An observational and numerical study of wind stress variations within marginal ice zones

Guest¹,

Glendening²,

Davidson³

1995

J. Geophys. Res.

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Published studies of ocean mesoscale processes in marginal ice zones (MIZs) using numerical coupled ice‐ocean models usually assume that the surface wind speed is constant over the model domain and that wind stress variations are simply proportional to surface roughness variations. We show that this assumption is not realistic in most situations because the surface wind stress is also significantly affected by mesoscale pressure variations, by changes in the surface wind vector, and by changes in surface layer stability. Two numerical case studies, utilizing detailed surface and atmospheric measurements, examine the factors affecting small‐scale (<5 km) variations in wind stress within MIZs. These case studies and surveyed observational and modeling results demonstrate that wind stress fields are qualitatively different from the surface roughness fields. A realistic wind stress scenario consists of a maximum just inside the ice edge and another maximum in the open ocean. Stress minima occur within the pack ice region away from the MIZ and over grease ice, if present. The effect of the rougher MIZ ice is counteracted when wind stresses over the open ocean are enhanced by large surface heat fluxes over the ocean, by a strong low level inversion over the ice, or by a sharp atmospheric front with surface winds paralleling the ice edge. Such situations are common in MIZ regions. Some simple methods for including first‐order atmospheric effects on wind stress variations, which could be incorporated into current ice‐ocean mesoscale models of MIZ regions, are suggested.

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Section: Summary Of Case Studycontrasting

confidence: 64%

An observational and numerical study of wind stress variations within marginal ice zones

Guest¹,

Glendening²,

Davidson³

1995

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…On this experiment we decided to have intensive periods of rapid balloon launches from a single point. In earlier airsonde studies Reynolds, 1984], interpretation of sequences of inversion heights from single soundings are questionable. The inversion layer is known to undulate significantly, and over the 12-plus hours required for a ship to make an off-ice track line, synoptic variation can introduce significant variability.…”

Section: Xw -T>wcw I% -Vi I(vw -Vi)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The wind acceleration at the ice edge is a result of reduced friction and baroclinic forcing, in keeping with the theories of Overland et al [1983] and Reynolds [1984]. As a typical example, at 1200 GMT on February 19, winds accelerated from 7 m/s to 12 m/s over a distance of 122 km.…”

Section: 'mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ice drift and regional meteorology in the southern Bering Sea: Results from MIZEX West

Reynolds¹,

Pease²

1985

J. Geophys. Res.

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In February 1983 a multifaceted study of the air‐ice‐ocean interaction was made in the southern Bering Sea. The study, MIZEX West, addressed a broad spectrum of physical problems related to the Bering Sea marginal ice zone (MIZ). As a part of that study an array of eight Argos‐tracked floes on a scale of 50 km provided information on the mesoscale behavior of the ice pack. Wind and current measuring platforms on two of the floes gave detailed information on the forces on individual floes which were compared with the larger‐scale motions. Under relatively steady northeast winds and with weak or negligible regional currents, the floes accelerated considerably as they crossed the MIZ. The array showed little distortion, even though it skirted around St. Matthew Island and changed trajectory direction by over 90° during the 12‐day study period. Similarly, individual floes remained within 20° of their original orientation, although their angular motions were erratic and often rapid. A baroclinicly forced acceleration of the wind over the MIZ contributed to floe acceleration. The relative currents at 2 and 6 m under the ice were highly variable and random in time, although well correlated in depth. One of the floes was much smoother than the other, and higher winds and currents were noted at the smoother floe. The motion of the floes reflect strong coupling to the currents at tidal and lower frequencies and low‐frequency (greater than 6 hours) response to the wind. Both floes drifted to the right of the mean wind by approximately 30° at about 4% of the wind speed at 3 m, and relative wind and current directions were within 20° of being colinear, traits that are consistent with free drift hypothesis. Using quadratic drag representations for wind and current stress, the near colinearity allowed calculation of the ratio of the air/ice to ice/water drag coefficients, Ca/Cw, relative to measurement heights of 3 m and −2 m. For the rough floe this ratio changed in mean from 0.06 to 0.2 in its movement to the MIZ. For the smooth floe the variation in the ratio was less, from 0.14 to 0.2. However, for the rough flow the angle between wind and current was generally less than 180°, and for the smooth flow it was greater. It is possible that another type of drag related to the bow effect of the floe pushing through the water can account for this observation. Finally, the motion of the ice floes and ice edge are compared by examination of satellite photos. Two regions of the ice pack—one thick with rafting and rubble, one thin and broken—showed a ratio of edge velocity to floe velocity of 0.64 and 0.43, respectively. Thinner ice overtakes the edge and melts more rapidly than the thicker ice. A simple thermodynamic model explains this observation.

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“…The off‐ice air flow experienced a downstream deceleration and convergence within the MIZ, followed by an acceleration and divergence when moving out to the open ocean. The convergence/divergence bands at the ice margins are consistent with previous observations and model results in the Arctic MIZ [ Overland et al ., ; Reynolds , ; Kantha and Mellor , ], implying that the dynamic adjustments of the ABL to surface roughness are similar in the MIZ of both poles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air‐sea interaction regimes in the sub‐Antarctic Southern Ocean and Antarctic marginal ice zone revealed by icebreaker measurements

Jin

Schulz

et al. 2017

JGR Oceans

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This study analyzed shipboard air‐sea measurements acquired by the icebreaker Aurora Australis during its off‐winter operation in December 2010 to May 2012. Mean conditions over 7 months (October–April) were compiled from a total of 22 ship tracks. The icebreaker traversed the water between Hobart, Tasmania, and the Antarctic continent, providing valuable in situ insight into two dynamically important, yet poorly sampled, regimes: the sub‐Antarctic Southern Ocean and the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) in the Indian Ocean sector. The transition from the open water to the ice‐covered surface creates sharp changes in albedo, surface roughness, and air temperature, leading to consequential effects on air‐sea variables and fluxes. Major effort was made to estimate the air‐sea fluxes in the MIZ using the bulk flux algorithms that are tuned specifically for the sea‐ice effects, while computing the fluxes over the sub‐Antarctic section using the COARE3.0 algorithm. The study evidenced strong sea‐ice modulations on winds, with the southerly airflow showing deceleration (convergence) in the MIZ and acceleration (divergence) when moving away from the MIZ. Marked seasonal variations in heat exchanges between the atmosphere and the ice margin were noted. The monotonic increase in turbulent latent and sensible heat fluxes after summer turned the MIZ quickly into a heat loss regime, while at the same time the sub‐Antarctic surface water continued to receive heat from the atmosphere. The drastic increase in turbulent heat loss in the MIZ contrasted sharply to the nonsignificant and seasonally invariant turbulent heat loss over the sub‐Antarctic open water.

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On the local meteorology at the marginal ice zone of the Bering Sea

Cited by 14 publications

References 22 publications

An observational and numerical study of wind stress variations within marginal ice zones

An observational and numerical study of wind stress variations within marginal ice zones

Ice drift and regional meteorology in the southern Bering Sea: Results from MIZEX West

Air‐sea interaction regimes in the sub‐Antarctic Southern Ocean and Antarctic marginal ice zone revealed by icebreaker measurements

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