Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice

Huang, Yiyi; Ding, Qinghua; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike; Baxter, Ian

doi:10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w

Title: Summertime low clouds mediate the impact of the large-scale circulation on Arctic sea ice

Journal Article · Fri Feb 19 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Communications Earth & Environment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00114-w· OSTI ID:1958426

Huang, Yiyi ^[1];

^[2];

^[1]; Xi, Baike ^[1]; Baxter, Ian ^[2]

Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

The rapid Arctic sea ice retreat in the early 21^st 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.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center

Sponsoring Organization:: 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)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830; 80NSSC18K1339; OPP-1744598; NA19OAR4310281; NA18OAR4310424; 80NSSC19K0172

OSTI ID:: 1958426

Journal Information:: Communications Earth & Environment, Vol. 2, Issue 1; ISSN 2662-4435

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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