scholarly journals Sustaining the Arctic in Order to Sustain the Global Climate System

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10622
Author(s):  
Daniel Bodansky ◽  
Rafe Pomerance
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
Gas Removal ◽  
Arctic Ice ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Entire Planet ◽  
Research Show

The unraveling of the Arctic is bad enough for the Arctic itself, but it will have enormous consequences for the entire planet since the Arctic is a crucial component of the global climate system. Current policies do not provide much hope to prevent these harms. We have committed the earth to too much warming to take a step-by-step approach. We have entered a period of history when planetary management has become unavoidable and must move forward on many fronts simultaneously. Key components of a multiprong approach include decarbonization, focus on short-lived climate forcers, greenhouse gas removal, adaptation, Arctic interventions, and solar climate intervention. This article discusses the last option, which may be the only means of cooling the earth quickly enough to save Arctic ice and permafrost. Scientific research is essential to better understand its feasibility, effectiveness, and safety. However, research is not enough; we need to be ready to respond right away if Arctic or global temperatures need to be lowered quickly. This means we need significant technology research and development so that solar climate intervention technologies are deployment-ready in the relatively near future, perhaps in a decade or two, and could be used should the need arise and should research show that they are effective and safe.

scholarly journals Arctic Climate Interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 596-617
Author(s):  
Daniel Bodansky ◽  
Hugh Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Arctic Climate ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Climate Change Policies ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Arctic Ice

Abstract The melting of the Arctic poses enormous risks both to the Arctic itself and to the global climate system. Conventional climate change policies operate too slowly to save the Arctic, so unconventional approaches need to be considered, including technologies to refreeze Arctic ice and slow the melting of glaciers. Even if one believes that global climate interventions, such as injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to scatter sunlight, pose unacceptable risks and should be disqualified from consideration, Arctic interventions differ in important respects. They are closer in kind to conventional mitigation and adaptation and should be evaluated in similar terms. It is unclear whether they are feasible and would be effective in saving the Arctic. But given the importance of the Arctic, they should be investigated fully.

scholarly journals Permafrost-Affected Soils of the Russian Arctic and their Carbon Pools

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 619-655
Author(s):  
S. Zubrzycki ◽  
L. Kutzbach ◽  
E.-M. Pfeiffer
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Fundamental Property ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Quaternary Period ◽  
Permafrost Regions

Abstract. Permafrost-affected soils have accumulated enormous pools of organic matter during the Quaternary Period. The area occupied by these soils amounts to more than 8.6 million km2, which is about 27% of all land areas north of 50° N. Therefore, permafrost-affected soils are considered to be one of the most important cryosphere elements within the climate system. Due to the cryopedogenic processes that form these particular soils and the overlying vegetation that is adapted to the arctic climate, organic matter has accumulated to the present extent of up to 1024 Pg (1 Pg = 1015 g = 1 Gt) of soil organic carbon stored within the uppermost three meters of ground. Considering the observed progressive climate change and the projected polar amplification, permafrost-affected soils will undergo fundamental property changes. Higher turnover and mineralization rates of the organic matter are consequences of these changes, which are expected to result in an increased release of climate-relevant trace gases into the atmosphere. As a result, permafrost regions with their distinctive soils are likely to trigger an important tipping point within the global climate system, with additional political and social implications. The controversy of whether permafrost regions continue accumulating carbon or already function as a carbon source remains open until today. An increased focus on this subject matter, especially in underrepresented Siberian regions, could contribute to a more robust estimation of the soil organic carbon pool of permafrost regions and at the same time improve the understanding of the carbon sink and source functions of permafrost-affected soils.

Climate Variability in the Context of Climate Change: El Niño and Other Oscillations

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Rosenzweig ◽  
Daniel Hillel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Earth’S Climate

The climate system envelops our planet, with swirling fluxes of mass, momentum, and energy through air, water, and land. Its processes are partly regular and partly chaotic. The regularity of diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in these processes is well understood. Recently, there has been significant progress in understanding some of the mechanisms that induce deviations from that regularity in many parts of the globe. These mechanisms include a set of combined oceanic–atmospheric phenomena with quasi-regular manifestations. The largest of these is centered in the Pacific Ocean and is known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. The term “oscillation” refers to a shifting pattern of atmospheric pressure gradients that has distinct manifestations in its alternating phases. In the Arctic and North Atlantic regions, the occurrence of somewhat analogous but less regular interactions known as the Arctic Oscillation and its offshoot, the North Atlantic Oscillation, are also being studied. These and other major oscillations influence climate patterns in many parts of the globe. Examples of other large-scale interactive ocean–atmosphere– land processes are the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, the Pacific/North American pattern, the Tropical Atlantic Variability, the West Pacific pattern, the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, and the Indian Ocean Dipole. In this chapter we review the earth’s climate system in general, define climate variability, and describe the processes related to ENSO and the other major systems and their interactions. We then consider the possible connections of the major climate variability systems to anthropogenic global climate change. The climate system consists of a series of fluxes and transformations of energy (radiation, sensible and latent heat, and momentum), as well as transports and changes in the state of matter (air, water, solid matter, and biota) as conveyed and influenced by the atmosphere, the ocean, and the land masses. Acting like a giant engine, this dynamic system is driven by the infusion, transformation, and redistribution of energy.

Arctic shipping guidelines: towards a legal regime for navigation safety and environmental protection?

Polar Record ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øystein Jensen
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Legal Issue ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
International Polar Year ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
International Polar ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Arctic Ice ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Near Future

ABSTRACTWith the International Polar Year (IPY) having commenced in March 2007, key issues relating to the polar regions are again in focus. This article reviews one central legal issue re-emerging in the Arctic: global regulation of safety standards for international shipping. The ‘Guidelines for ships operating in Arctic ice-covered waters’ are examined, with a view to the probable expansion of shipping in the Arctic in near future. Following an introduction to navigational issues within the Arctic context, the article describes how the guidelines came into being, and then analyses key elements and structure of the regulations and shortfalls of today's arrangements. The possible relevance of the guidelines to the Antarctic is also discussed briefly. Finally, the article inquires into the key repercussions of introducing binding regulations.

scholarly journals Antarctic regional modelling of atmospheric, sea-ice and oceanic processes and validation with observations

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 348-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Bailey ◽  
Amanda H. Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Regional Modelling ◽  
Climate System Model ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractHigh-latitude interactions of local-scale processes in the atmosphere-ice-ocean system have effects on the local, Antarctic and global climate. Phenomena including polynyas and leads are examples of such interactions which, when combined, have a significant impact on larger scales. These small-scale features, which are typically parameterized in global models, can be explicitly simulated using high-resolution regional climate system models. As such, the study of these interactions is well suited to a regional model approach and is considered here using the Arctic Regional Climate System Model (ARCSyM). This model has been used for many simulations in the Arctic, and is now implemented for the Antarctic. Observations of such processes in the Antarctic are limited, which makes model validation difficult. However, using the best available observations for an annual cycle, we have determined a suite of model parameterization which allows us to reasonably simulate the Antarctic climate. This work considers a fine-resolution (20 km) simulation in the Cosmonaut Sea region, with the eventual goal of elucidating the mechanisms in the formation and maintenance of the sensible-heat polynya which is a regular occurrence in this area. It was found in an atmosphere-sea-ice simulation that the ocean plays an important role in regulating the sea-ice cover in this region in compensating for the cold atmospheric conditions.

Sea Ice in the Greenland Polynya in 2018 - A Study with CryoSat-2 and SMOS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixin Zhu ◽  
Lu Zhou ◽  
Shiming Xu
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Sea Ice Thickness ◽  
The North ◽  
Ice Surface ◽  
Snow Conditions

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Arctic sea ice is a critical component in the global climate system. It affects the climate system by radiating incident heat back into space and regulating ocean-atmosphere heat and momentum. Satellite altimetry such as CryoSat-2 serves as the primary approach for observing sea ice thickness. Nevertheless, the thickness retrieval with CryoSat-2 mainly depends on the height of the ice surface above the sea level, which leads to significant uncertainties over thin ice regimes. The sea ice at the north of Greenland is considered one of the oldest and thickest in the Arctic. However, during late February - early March 2018, a polynya formed north to Greenland due to extra strong southern winds. We focus on the retrieval of sea ice thickness and snow conditions with CryoSat-2 and SMOS during the formation of the polynya. Specifically, we investigate the uncertainty of CryoSat-2 and carry out inter- comparison of sea ice thickness retrieval with SMOS and CryoSat-2/SMOS synergy. Besides, further discussion of retrieval with CryoSat-2 is provided for such scenarios where the mélange of thick ice and newly formed thin ice is present.</p>

scholarly journals Antarctic climate change and the environment

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 541-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Convey ◽  
R. Bindschadler ◽  
G. di Prisco ◽  
E. Fahrbach ◽  
J. Gutt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Models ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Arctic Climate ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
Climate Impact Assessment ◽  
Arctic Climate Impact Assessment ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractThe Antarctic climate system varies on timescales from orbital, through millennial to sub-annual, and is closely coupled to other parts of the global climate system. We review these variations from the perspective of the geological and glaciological records and the recent historical period from which we have instrumental data (∼the last 50 years). We consider their consequences for the biosphere, and show how the latest numerical models project changes into the future, taking into account human actions in the form of the release of greenhouse gases and chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere. In doing so, we provide an essential Southern Hemisphere companion to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment.

scholarly journals On the role of sea-ice transport in modifying arctic responses to global climate change

1997 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 102-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Maslanik ◽  
Jeremy Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Global Climate Model ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Climate Change Responses ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Arctic Ice ◽  
Ice Pack

The role of dynamics in modifying the response of the Arctic ice pack to inter-annually varying forcings and to climate perturbations is investigated using simulations from a two-dimensional ice model and a global climate model (GCM). Inter-annual variability in ice-covered area for 1985-93 is dominated by ice transport, and different transport regimes affect substantially the response of the ice pack to climate perturbations. The thermodynamic-only simulations are more sensitive to initial ice conditions, and respond less than the dynamk-thermodynamic model to small perturbations, but with a greater response to larger perturbations. Comparisons of GCM simulations that use different ice treatments highlights the importance of considering the distribution of ice thickness and extent in assessing climate-change responses.

scholarly journals A dynamical link between the Arctic and the global climate system

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Dethloff ◽  
A. Rinke ◽  
A. Benkel ◽  
M. Køltzow ◽  
E. Sokolova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
The Arctic

scholarly journals Geochronological reconsiderations for the Eastern European key loess section at Stayky in Ukraine

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 2629-2659 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kadereit ◽  
G. A. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Climate History ◽  
The North ◽  
Event Stratigraphy ◽  
Age Model ◽  
Arctic Ice

Abstract. Event-stratigraphical correlations between local/regional terrestrial sedimentary archives and marine or ice-core records providing the global climate history and time-scale are highly desirable for a deeper understanding of the effects of global climate change on a local/regional (palaeo-)environment. However, such correlations are not trivial, as the terrestrial records tend to be floating and fragmentary and usually show varying sedimentation rates. Therefore, a reliable chronometric framework is a necessary prerequisite for any event-stratigraphy involving terrestrial archives. In this respect, the age-model underlying the event-stratigraphical approach for the Eastern European key loess section at Stayky in Ukraine appears to need revision. Here we explain, why it is highly unlikely that the Middle Pleniglacial Vytachiv Soil developed during Greenland interstadial (GIS) 8, and why the embryonic soils in the upper part of the Upper Pleniglacial part of the loess section most likely post-date Heinrich 2 event. As a consequence, the revised age-model challenges the earlier suggested correlation of the suite of incipient soils above the Vytachiv Soil with Greenland Interstadials, which was supposed to start with GIS7 but for which matching from after GIS5 seems more likely. The revised chronology suggests that the transition from Middle to Upper Pleniglacial environmental conditions at the Eastern European key section occurred during the final phase of marine isotope stage (MIS) 3. Thus, the picture appears to be in accordance with that of the Western European key section at Nussloch in Germany pointing to a common driver of palaeo-environmental change in both regions, such as early Late Glacial Maximum (LGM) advances of the Arctic ice-shield or changes of the North Atlantic circulation and sea-ice distribution leading also to relevant changes of the palaeowind field.

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