Anomalous Arctic Sea Ice Melting Linked to Recent Warming Amplification
Abstract This study investigates the mechanism of seasonal sea ice variation and recent warming amplification. Seasonal temperature changes in the vertical structure reveal that the autumn and winter seasons are warming more than summer. The thermodynamic processes of sea-ice-air interactions via the heat flux component have been studied. The summer Arctic Sea ice has receded by half (∼52%), producing excessive heat. This sea ice loss plays a significant role in determining the heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere in the following season. During a warm season, the ocean heats up due to incident solar radiation. As a result, delayed ice growth and atmospheric warming occur. Sea ice and heat flux feedbacks explain a large part of Arctic atmospheric warming. These abrupt changes are closely coupled to accelerated Arctic Sea ice loss and atmospheric warming, which are still uncertain.