scholarly journals Changes in Barents Sea ice Edge Positions in the Last 440 years: A Review of Possible Driving Forces

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 97-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils-Axel Mörner ◽  
Jan-Erik Solheim ◽  
Ole Humlum ◽  
Stig Falk-Petersen
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J. Pienkowski ◽  
Katrine Husum ◽  
Simon Belt ◽  
Lukas Smik

<p>An understanding of modern sea-ice proxy distributions relative to measured environmental parameters underpins accurate palaeo reconstructions necessary for correct future projections. We here present new data on highly-branched isoprenoid (HBI) lipid biomarkers produced by sea-ice diatoms (IP<sub>25</sub>, IPSO<sub>25</sub>) and phytoplankton (HBI III, HBI IV) in marine surface sediments taken in a south-north transect east of Svalbard as part of the Nansen Legacy project. Collectively, these biomarkers can be used to reconstruct seasonal spring sea-ice (SpSIC) and the seasonal sea-ice edge. Eight sites at ~78-83°N were sampled by multicorer. All cores contain abundant biomarkers, except the northernmost station. Biomarker-based SpSIC shows a general south-north increase, mimicking observational sea-ice concentration satellite-based means (1988-2017). The HBI T<sub>25</sub> index suggests ice edge phytoplankton blooms at southern stations, agreeing with the general pattern of increased phytoplankton HBIs previously reported from the eastern Barents Sea. As a next step, these new biomarker findings will be used to reconstruct longer-term (Holocene) variability in sea-ice in this region. </p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 279-341
Author(s):  
Jan-Erik Solheim ◽  
Stig Falk-Petersen ◽  
Ole Humlum ◽  
Nils-Axel Mörner
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Edge ◽  

Author(s):  
Sindre M. Fritzner ◽  
Trond Sagerup

This paper provides a statistical description of the sea ice occurrence in the Barents Sea, using yearly maximum sea ice data for the last 36 years from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). A set of four distribution functions have been estimated with the maximum likelihood method. The distribution functions used were Extreme Value distribution, Gumbel distribution, Normal distribution and kernel density estimation. The normal distribution was found to fit the data best and provide the most likely result. Our results verify dependency of the North Atlantic current on the sea ice edge. Warm water northwards prevents the ice from extending south; this makes the extreme value distribution unlikely since this will prevent long tailed distributions. The results for sea ice occurrence are compared to the boundaries given in the proposed revision to NORSOK N-003. These boundaries were found to be too simplistic and not necessarily conservative. Here we have proposed new and more accurate boundaries for the sea ice occurrence. We have found trends indicating northwards movement of the sea ice edge in the Norwegian Sea and eastern parts of the Barents Sea. These trends are mostly due to less ice in the last ten years and not trends for the whole period. In the south-western parts of the Barents Sea where oil and gas operations are imminent no trends have been discovered. The lack of trend is related to the islands in the western Barents Sea.


2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 2669-2677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Anders Breivik ◽  
Steinar Eastwood ◽  
Thomas Lavergne
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Edge ◽  

1985 ◽  
Vol 90 (C2) ◽  
pp. 3185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin D. Muench ◽  
James D. Schumacher

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2241-2253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise C. Sime ◽  
Dominic Hodgson ◽  
Thomas J. Bracegirdle ◽  
Claire Allen ◽  
Bianca Perren ◽  
...  

Abstract. Latitudinal shifts in the Southern Ocean westerly wind jet could drive changes in the glacial to interglacial ocean CO2 inventory. However, whilst CMIP5 model results feature consistent future-warming jet shifts, there is considerable disagreement in deglacial-warming jet shifts. We find here that the dependence of pre-industrial (PI) to Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) jet shifts on PI jet position, or state dependency, explains less of the shifts in jet simulated by the models for the LGM compared with future-warming scenarios. State dependence is also weaker for intensity changes, compared to latitudinal shifts in the jet. Winter sea ice was considerably more extensive during the LGM. Changes in surface heat fluxes, due to this sea ice change, probably had a large impact on the jet. Models that both simulate realistically large expansions in sea ice and feature PI jets which are south of 50° S show an increase in wind speed around 55° S and can show a poleward shift in the jet between the PI and the LGM. However, models with the PI jet positioned equatorwards of around 47° S do not show this response: the sea ice edge is too far from the jet for it to respond. In models with accurately positioned PI jets, a +1° difference in the latitude of the sea ice edge tends to be associated with a −0.85° shift in the 850 hPa jet. However, it seems that around 5° of expansion of LGM sea ice is necessary to hold the jet in its PI position. Since the Gersonde et al. (2005) data support an expansion of more than 5°, this result suggests that a slight poleward shift and intensification was the most likely jet change between the PI and the LGM. Without the effect of sea ice, models simulate poleward-shifted westerlies in warming climates and equatorward-shifted westerlies in colder climates. However, the feedback of sea ice counters and reverses the equatorward trend in cooler climates so that the LGM winds were more likely to have also been shifted slightly poleward.


2020 ◽  
Vol 640 ◽  
pp. 215-230
Author(s):  
C Michelot ◽  
A Kato ◽  
T Raclot ◽  
K Shiomi ◽  
P Goulet ◽  
...  

Sentinel species, like Adélie penguins, have been used to assess the impact of environmental changes, and their link with sea ice has received considerable attention. Here, we tested if foraging Adélie penguins from 2 colonies in East Antarctica target the distant sea-ice edge or take advantage of closer open waters that are readily available near their colony. We examined the foraging behaviour of penguins during the incubation trips of females in 2016 and males in 2017, using GPS tracking and diet data in view of daily sea-ice data and bathymetry. In 2016-2017, sea-ice cover was extensive during females’ trips but flaw leads and polynyas were close to both study sites. Sea ice receded rapidly during males’ trips in 2017-2018. Despite close open water near both colonies in both years, females and males preferentially targeted the continental slope and the sea-ice edge to forage. In addition, there was no difference in the diet of penguins from both colonies: all penguins fed mostly on Antarctic krill and males also foraged on Antarctic silverfish. Our results highlight the importance of the sea-ice edge for penguins, an area where food abundance is predictable. It is likely that resource availability was not sufficient in closer open water areas at such an early stage in the breeding season. The behaviours displayed by the penguins from both colonies were similar, suggesting a common behaviour across colonies in Terre Adélie, although additional sites would be necessary to confirm this hypothesis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1887-1920
Author(s):  
J. J. Day ◽  
J. L. Bamber ◽  
P. J. Valdes ◽  
J. Kohler

Abstract. General circulation models (GCMs) predict a rapid decrease in Arctic sea ice extent in the 21st century. The decline of September sea ice is expected to continue until the Arctic Ocean is seasonally ice free, leading to a much perturbed Arctic climate with large changes in surface energy flux. Svalbard, located on the present day sea ice edge, contains many low lying ice caps and glaciers which are extremely sensitive to changes in climate. Records of past accumulation indicate that the surface mass balance (SMB) of Svalbard is also sensitive to changes in the position of the sea ice edge. To investigate the impact of 21st Century sea ice decline on the climate and surface mass balance of Svalbard a high resolution (25 km) regional climate model (RCM) was forced with a repeating cycle of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and sea ice conditions for the periods 1961–1990 and 2061–2090. By prescribing 20th Century SSTs and 21st Century sea ice for one simulation, the impact of sea ice decline is isolated. This study shows that the coupled impact of sea ice decline and SST increase results in a decrease in SMB, whereas the impact of sea ice decline alone causes an increase in SMB of similar magnitude.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document