Variability in Sea Ice Melt Onset in the Arctic Northeast Passage: Seesaw of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongjie Liang ◽  
Jie Su
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
East Siberian Sea ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Variability in Sea Ice Melt Onset in the Arctic Northeast Passage: Seesaw of the Laptev Sea vs. the East Siberian Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongjie Liang ◽  
Jie Su
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Storm Tracks ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Easterly Wind ◽  
East Siberian Sea ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Indices ◽  
The Laptev Sea

<p>The ice/snow melt onset (MO) is a critical triggering signal for ice-albedo positive feedback in the Arctic. Concerning the Northeast Passage (NEP), for 1979-1998, the MO in the East Siberian Sea (ESS) occurred generally earlier than that in the Laptev Sea (LS). However, for 1999-2018, the LS experienced significantly earlier MO than did the ESS in several years. This phenomenon is identified as the MO Seesaw (MOS), i.e., the MO difference between the LS and ESS. For the positive MOS, storm tracks in May tend to cover the ESS rather than the LS and easterly wind prevails and shifts slightly to a northerly wind in the ESS, resulting in higher surface air temperature (SAT) and total-column water vapor (TWV) and earlier MO in the ESS. For the negative MOS, storm tracks are much stronger in the LS than in the ESS and prominent southerly/southwesterly wind brings warm air from coastal land towards the LS. The effect of the Barents Oscillation (BO) on the MOS could be dated back to April. When the Barents Sea is centered with a low SLP in April, sea ice in the LS would be driven away from the coasts, leading to a lower sea ice area (SIA), which increases the surface latent heat flux and humidifies the overlying atmosphere. Along with an enhanced downward sensible heat flux, earlier regional average MO occurs in the LS. For 1999-2018, the MOS was more closely related to both the local variables and the large-scale atmospheric circulation indices.</p>

scholarly journals Satellite-based sea ice thickness changes in the Laptev Sea from 2002 to 2017: comparison to mooring observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 2189-2203
Author(s):  
H. Jakob Belter ◽  
Thomas Krumpen ◽  
Stefan Hendricks ◽  
Jens Hoelemann ◽  
Markus A. Janout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Source Region ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Validation Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sea Ice Thickness ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Abstract. The gridded sea ice thickness (SIT) climate data record (CDR) produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) Sea Ice Climate Change Initiative Phase 2 (CCI-2) is the longest available, Arctic-wide SIT record covering the period from 2002 to 2017. SIT data are based on radar altimetry measurements of sea ice freeboard from the Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) and CryoSat-2 (CS2). The CCI-2 SIT has previously been validated with in situ observations from drilling, airborne remote sensing, electromagnetic (EM) measurements and upward-looking sonars (ULSs) from multiple ice-covered regions of the Arctic. Here we present the Laptev Sea CCI-2 SIT record from 2002 to 2017 and use newly acquired ULS and upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) sea ice draft (VAL) data for validation of the gridded CCI-2 and additional satellite SIT products. The ULS and ADCP time series provide the first long-term satellite SIT validation data set from this important source region of sea ice in the Transpolar Drift. The comparison of VAL sea ice draft data with gridded monthly mean and orbit trajectory CCI-2 data, as well as merged CryoSat-2–SMOS (CS2SMOS) sea ice draft, shows that the agreement between the satellite and VAL draft data strongly depends on the thickness of the sampled ice. Rather than providing mean sea ice draft, the considered satellite products provide modal sea ice draft in the Laptev Sea. Ice drafts thinner than 0.7 m are overestimated, while drafts thicker than approximately 1.3 m are increasingly underestimated by all satellite products investigated for this study. The tendency of the satellite SIT products to better agree with modal sea ice draft and underestimate thicker ice needs to be considered for all past and future investigations into SIT changes in this important region. The performance of the CCI-2 SIT CDR is considered stable over time; however, observed trends in gridded CCI-2 SIT are strongly influenced by the uncertainties of ENVISAT and CS2 and the comparably short investigation period.

scholarly journals Sea ice circulation in the Laptev Sea and ice export to the Arctic Ocean: Results from satellite remote sensing and numerical modeling

2000 ◽  
Vol 105 (C7) ◽  
pp. 17143-17159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitaly Y. Alexandrov ◽  
Thomas Martin ◽  
Josef Kolatschek ◽  
Hajo Eicken ◽  
Martin Kreyscher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Arctic Ocean ◽  
Satellite Remote Sensing ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
The Arctic Ocean ◽  
The Laptev Sea

scholarly journals Halocline water modification and along-slope advection at the Laptev Sea continental margin

Ocean Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bauch ◽  
S. Torres-Valdes ◽  
I. Polyakov ◽  
A. Novikhin ◽  
I. Dmitrenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Frontal System ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Sea Bottom ◽  
Bottom Waters ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Abstract. A general pattern in water mass distribution and potential shelf–basin exchange is revealed at the Laptev Sea continental slope based on hydrochemical and stable oxygen isotope data from the summers 2005–2009. Despite considerable interannual variations, a frontal system can be inferred between shelf, continental slope and central Eurasian Basin waters in the upper 100 m of the water column along the continental slope. Net sea-ice melt is consistently found at the continental slope. However, the sea-ice meltwater signal is independent from the local retreat of the ice cover and appears to be advected from upwind locations. In addition to the along-slope frontal system at the continental shelf break, a strong gradient is identified on the Laptev Sea shelf between 122° E and 126° E with an eastward increase of riverine and sea-ice related brine water contents. These waters cross the shelf break at ~ 140° E and feed the low-salinity halocline water (LSHW, salinity S < 33) in the upper 50 m of the water column. High silicate concentrations in Laptev Sea bottom waters may lead to speculation about a link to the local silicate maximum found within the salinity range of ~ 33 to 34.5, typical for the Lower Halocline Water (LHW) at the continental slope. However brine signatures and nutrient ratios from the central Laptev Sea differ from those observed at the continental slope. Thus a significant contribution of Laptev Sea bottom waters to the LHW at the continental slope can be excluded. The silicate maximum within the LHW at the continental slope may be formed locally or at the outer Laptev Sea shelf. Similar to the advection of the sea-ice melt signal along the Laptev Sea continental slope, the nutrient signal at 50–70 m water depth within the LHW might also be fed by advection parallel to the slope. Thus, our analyses suggest that advective processes from upstream locations play a significant role in the halocline formation in the northern Laptev Sea.

scholarly journals Semidiurnal Tides on the Laptev Sea Shelf with Implications for Shear and Vertical Mixing

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 202-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus A. Janout ◽  
Yueng-Djern Lenn
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Outer Shelf ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Surface Mixed Layer ◽  
Diapycnal Mixing ◽  
Inner Shelf ◽  
Lena River ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Abstract The Arctic continental shelf seas hold a globally significant source of freshwater that impacts Arctic Ocean stratification, circulation, and climate. This freshwater can be injected below the surface mixed layer by intense turbulent kinetic energy dissipation events, as resolved by Laptev Sea microstructure observations. The tides provide a major source of energy that can be dissipated and hence drive diapycnal mixing in the Laptev Sea. Multiyear ADCP mooring records from locations across the shelf reveal that semidiurnal tides are dominated by the M2 and S2 constituents, with the largest amplitudes on the outer shelf. Throughout most of the shelf, tides are clockwise polarized and sheared by stratification, as characteristic near the M2 critical latitude. Interannual variations of the tidal and shear structures on the inner shelf are mainly determined by the stratification-setting Lena River freshwater plume. In all locations, M2 tides are enhanced under sea ice, and therefore changes in the seasonal ice cover may lead to changes in tides and water column structure. The main conclusions of this study are that (i) tides play a comparatively greater role year-round on the outer shelf relative to the inner shelf; (ii) a sea ice reduction will overall decrease the predictability of the currents, especially on the inner shelf; and (iii) the freshwater distribution directly impacts diapycnal mixing by setting the vertical tidal structure. These combined effects imply that future sea ice loss will increase the variability and vertical mixing of freshwater, particularly on the inner shelf, where the Lena River first enters the Laptev Sea.

scholarly journals Satellite-based sea ice thickness changes in the Laptev Sea from 2002 to 2017: Comparison to mooring observations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Jakob Belter ◽  
Thomas Krumpen ◽  
Stefan Hendricks ◽  
Jens A. Hoelemann ◽  
Markus A. Janout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Source Region ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Validation Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sea Ice Thickness ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Abstract. The gridded sea ice thickness (SIT) climate data record (CDR) produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) Sea Ice Climate Change Initiative Phase 2 (CCI-2) is the longest available, Arctic-wide SIT record covering the period from 2002 to 2017. SIT data is based on radar altimetry measurements of sea ice freeboard from the Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) and CryoSat-2 (CS2). The CCI-2 SIT has previously been validated with in situ observations from drilling, airborne electromagnetic (EM) measurements and Upward-Looking Sonars (ULS) from multiple ice-covered regions of the Arctic. Here we present the Laptev Sea CCI-2 SIT record from 2002 to 2017 and use newly acquired ULS and upward-looking Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) sea ice draft data (VAL) for validation of the gridded CCI-2 and additional satellite SIT products. The ULS and ADCP time series provide the first long-term satellite SIT validation data set from this important source region of sea ice in the Transpolar Drift. The comparison of VAL sea ice draft data with gridded monthly mean and orbit trajectory CCI-2 data, as well as merged CryoSat-2/SMOS (CS2SMOS) sea ice draft shows that the agreement between the satellite and VAL draft data strongly depends on the thickness of the sampled ice. Rather than providing mean sea ice draft the considered satellite products provide modal sea ice draft in the Laptev Sea. Ice thinner than the modal draft is overestimated, while thicker ice is increasingly underestimated by all satellite products investigated for this study. This tendency of the satellite SIT products to better agree with modal sea ice draft and underestimate thicker ice needs to be considered for all past and future investigations into SIT changes in this important region. The performance of the CCI-2 SIT CDR is considered stable over time, however, observed trends in gridded CCI-2 SIT are strongly influenced by the uncertainties of ENVISAT and CS2 and the comparably short investigation period.

scholarly journals Modulation of Sea Ice Melt Onset and Retreat in the Laptev Sea by the Timing of Snow Retreat in the West Siberian Plain

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (16) ◽  
pp. 8691-8707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex D. Crawford ◽  
Sean Horvath ◽  
Julienne Stroeve ◽  
Rajagopalan Balaji ◽  
Mark C. Serreze
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
West Siberian Plain ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
The West ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
The Laptev Sea

scholarly journals Intermittent Intense Turbulent Mixing under Ice in the Laptev Sea Continental Shelf

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yueng-Djern Lenn ◽  
Tom P. Rippeth ◽  
Chris P. Old ◽  
Sheldon Bacon ◽  
Igor Polyakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Laptev Sea ◽  
Mixing Processes ◽  
Temperature Conductivity ◽  
Bottom Boundary ◽  
The Laptev Sea

Abstract Vertical mixing in the bottom boundary layer and pycnocline of the Laptev Sea is evaluated from a rapidly sampled 12-h time series of microstructure temperature, conductivity, and shear observations collected under 100% sea ice during October 2008. The bottom boundary turbulent kinetic energy dissipation was observed to be enhanced (ε ∼ 10−4 W m−3) beyond background levels (ε ∼ 10−6 W m−3), extending up to 10 m above the seabed when simulated tidal currents were directed on slope. Upward heat fluxes into the halocline-class waters along the Laptev Sea seabed peaked at ∼4–8 W m−2, averaging out to ∼2 W m−2 over the 12-h sampling period. In the Laptev Sea pycnocline, an isolated 2-h episode of intense dissipation (ε ∼ 10−3 W m−3) and vertical diffusivities was observed that was not due to a localized wind event. Observations from an acoustic Doppler current meter moored in the central Laptev Sea near the M2 critical latitude are consistent with a previous model in which mixing episodes are driven by an enhancement of the pycnocline shear resulting from the alignment of the rotating pycnocline shear vector with the under-ice stress vector. Upward cross-pycnocline heat fluxes from the Arctic halocline peaked at ∼54 W m−2, resulting in a 12-h average of ∼12 W m−2. These results highlight the intermittent nature of Arctic shelf sea mixing processes and how these processes can impact the transformation of Arctic Ocean water masses. The observations also clearly demonstrate that absence or presence of sea ice profoundly affects the availability of near-inertial kinetic energy to drive vertical mixing on the Arctic shelves.

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