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Bering Strait Ocean Heat Transport Drives Decadal Arctic Variability in a High‐Resolution Climate Model

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024gl108828· OSTI ID:2377472
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Stanford University Stanford CA USA; Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USA
  2. Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USA; International Arctic Research Center University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
  3. Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USA; Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD USA
  4. Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USA
  5. Texas A&M University College Station TX USA
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AbstractWe investigate the role of ocean heat transport (OHT) in driving the decadal variability of the Arctic climate by analyzing the pre‐industrial control simulation of a high‐resolution climate model. While the OHT variability at 65°N is greater in the Atlantic, we find that the decadal variability of Arctic‐wide surface temperature and sea ice area is much better correlated with Bering Strait OHT than Atlantic OHT. In particular, decadal Bering Strait OHT variability causes significant changes in local sea ice cover and air‐sea heat fluxes, which are amplified by shortwave feedbacks. These heat flux anomalies are regionally balanced by longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere, without compensation by atmospheric heat transport (Bjerknes compensation). The sensitivity of the Arctic to changes in OHT may thus rely on an accurate representation of the heat transport through the Bering Strait, which is difficult to resolve in coarse‐resolution ocean models.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth And Environmental Systems Science (EESS)
OSTI ID:
2377472
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2426539
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 51; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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