Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice
Abstract
The rapid Arctic sea ice retreat in the early 21st century is believed to be driven by several dynamic and thermodynamic feedbacks, such as ice-albedo feedback and water vapor feedback. However, the role of clouds in these feedbacks remains unclear since the causality between clouds and these processes is complex. Here, we use NASA CERES satellite products and NCAR CESM model simulations to suggest that summertime low clouds have played an important role in driving sea ice melt by amplifying the adiabatic warming induced by a stronger anticyclonic circulation aloft. The upper-level high pressure regulates low clouds through stronger downward motion and increasing lower troposphere relative humidity. The increased low clouds favor more sea ice melt via emitting stronger longwave radiation. Then decreased surface albedo triggers a positive ice-albedo feedback, which further enhances sea ice melt. Considering the importance of summertime low clouds, accurate simulation of this process is a prerequisite for climate models to produce reliable future projections of Arctic sea ice.
- Authors:
-
[2];
[1];
- Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
- Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1958426
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830; 80NSSC18K1339; OPP-1744598; NA19OAR4310281; NA18OAR4310424; 80NSSC19K0172
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Communications Earth & Environment
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 2; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2662-4435
- Publisher:
- Springer Nature
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; atmospheric dynamics; climate and Earth system modelling; cryospheric science
Citation Formats
Huang, Yiyi, Ding, Qinghua, Dong, Xiquan, Xi, Baike, and Baxter, Ian. Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w.
Huang, Yiyi, Ding, Qinghua, Dong, Xiquan, Xi, Baike, & Baxter, Ian. Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w
Huang, Yiyi, Ding, Qinghua, Dong, Xiquan, Xi, Baike, and Baxter, Ian. Fri .
"Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1958426.
@article{osti_1958426,
title = {Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice},
author = {Huang, Yiyi and Ding, Qinghua and Dong, Xiquan and Xi, Baike and Baxter, Ian},
abstractNote = {The rapid Arctic sea ice retreat in the early 21st century is believed to be driven by several dynamic and thermodynamic feedbacks, such as ice-albedo feedback and water vapor feedback. However, the role of clouds in these feedbacks remains unclear since the causality between clouds and these processes is complex. Here, we use NASA CERES satellite products and NCAR CESM model simulations to suggest that summertime low clouds have played an important role in driving sea ice melt by amplifying the adiabatic warming induced by a stronger anticyclonic circulation aloft. The upper-level high pressure regulates low clouds through stronger downward motion and increasing lower troposphere relative humidity. The increased low clouds favor more sea ice melt via emitting stronger longwave radiation. Then decreased surface albedo triggers a positive ice-albedo feedback, which further enhances sea ice melt. Considering the importance of summertime low clouds, accurate simulation of this process is a prerequisite for climate models to produce reliable future projections of Arctic sea ice.},
doi = {10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w},
journal = {Communications Earth & Environment},
number = 1,
volume = 2,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 19 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Fri Feb 19 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}
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