SEASONAL AND INTER-ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF THE ICE COVER IN THE GREENLAND SEA


https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2018-1-127-134

Full Text:




Abstract

The results of studies of seasonal and inter-annual variability of the Greenland Sea ice cover are presented for the period from 1950 to 2016. Statistical characteristics of seasonal and inter-annual changes in the ice-covered area were calculated. Three clusters of typical seasonal variability were identified from the whole totality of all seasonal cycles. The first cluster presented a group of seasonal cycles in the period of maximum, the second one – the middle, and the third group – minimum areas of the winter ice cover. The estimates of correlation between changes in the ice areas in winter (February–March) or in summer (August–September) and areas of the following two months of a current year as well as in succeeding years were obtained. Empirical regularity of a variability of the ice cover during the annual cycle was established. This regularity is characterized by an existence of a ‘memory’ in the state of the ice cover, when a prehistory of the ice conditions determines to a certain extent the following phase. Analysis of inter-annual variability of the Greenland Sea ice cover did show a linear negative tendency in both winter and summer ice conditions. One-two year fluctuations were the most pronounced in the spectral density of inter-annual variations in the summer ice conditions. However, fluctuations with a longer period do also exist. With respect to contribution of hydrometeorological factors, the summer ice area is determined: (a) by conditions in the preceding winter, (b) by the atmospheric circulation, and (c) by the influence of warm Atlantic waters (about 20% of the total dispersion). Changes in the winter ice area depend: (a) mainly on the pre-winter state of ices (October–November), (b) on the influence of the Atlantic waters (about 30% of the total dispersion), and (c) on the heat balance and the atmospheric circulation (20% of the total dispersion). The results of this study may be used as a basis for the development of statistical models for analysis and prediction of long-term and climatic changes in the state of the ice cover in the Greenland Sea.


About the Authors

L. A. Timokhov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



N. A. Vyazigina
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



E. U. Mironov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



A. V. Popov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



References

1. Nikiforov E.G., Shpaikher A.O. Zakonomernosti formirovaniya krupnomasshtabnykh kolebaniy gidrologicheskogo rezhima Severnogo Ledovitogo okeana. Peculiarities of formation the large-scale variations of the hydrological regime in the Arctic Ocean. Leningrad: Gidrometeoizdat, 1980: 269 p. [In Russian].

2. Zakharov V.F. L’dy Arktiki i sovremennye prirodnye protsessy. Ices of the Arctic and modern natural processes. Leningrad: Gidrometeoizdat, 1981: 136 p. [In Russian].

3. Frolov I.E., Gudkovich Z.M., Karklin V.P., Kovalev E.G., Smolyanitskiy V.M. Nauchnyye issledovaniya v Arktike: T. 2. Klimaticheskiye izmeneniya ledyanogo pokrova Evraziyskogo shelfa. Scientific studies in Arctic: V. 2. Climate changes of ice cover of Eurasian Shelf seas. St. Petersburg: Nauka, 2007: 135 p. [In Russian].

4. Vinje T., Finnekasa O. The ice transport through the Fram Strait. Norsk Polarinstitutt, Skr. Nr. 186. Oslo, 1986: 40 p.

5. Mironov E.U. Seasonal changes of an ice cover in the passage Fram according to radar shootings. Trudy Arkticheskogo i Antarkticheskogo nauchno-issledovatelskogo instituta. Proc. of AARI. 1997, 437: 108–114 [In Russian].

6. Vinje T., Brinck L.T., Polyakov I. Effects of melting and freezing in the Greenland Sea. Geophys. Research Letters. 2002. 29 (23): 21–29. doi: 10.1029/2002GL015326.

7. Lebedev A.A., Uralov N.S. On features of thermal condition in Northern Atlantic and of atmospheric circulation when abnormal ice coveradge is forming in the Greenland Sea. Trudy Arkticheskogo i Antarkticheskogo nauchno-issledovatelskogo instituta. Proc. of AARI. 1976, 320: 47–64 [In Russian].

8. Lebedev A.A., Uralov N.S. To a question of ice balance of the Greenland Sea. Trudy Arkticheskogo i Аntarkticheskogo nauchno-issledovatelskogo instituta. Proc. of AARI. 1977, 341: 43–52 [In Russian].

9. Mironov E.U. Ledovyye usloviya v Grenlandskom i Barentsevom moryakh i ikh dolgosrochnyi prognoz. Ice conditions in the Greenland and Barents seas and their long-term forecast. St. Petersburg: AARI, 2006: 319 p. [In Russian].

10. http://statistica.ru/theory/klasterizatsiya-metod-ksrednikh/

11. Lebedev A.A., Uralov N.S. Forecast of ice coverage in the Greenland Sea in connection with features of a thermal condition of the Atlantic Ocean and atmospheric circulation. Problemy Arktiki i Antarktiki. Arctic and Antarctic Problems. 1977, 50: 36–39. [In Russian].

12. Mironov E.U. On a possibility of forecast the large anomalies of the Greenland Sea. Trudy Arkticheskogo i Antarkticheskogo nauchno-issledovatel’skogo instituta. Proc. of AARI. 1994, 432: 96–106 [In Russian].


Supplementary files

For citation: Timokhov L.A., Vyazigina N.A., Mironov E.U., Popov A.V. SEASONAL AND INTER-ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF THE ICE COVER IN THE GREENLAND SEA. Ice and Snow. 2018;58(1):127-134. https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2018-1-127-134

Views: 1054

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.


ISSN 2076-6734 (Print)
ISSN 2412-3765 (Online)