The atmospheric effects of Southern Ocean open-ocean polynyas onto the coastal polynyas from EC-Earth3
Abstract
Polynyas are recurring areas of open water or thin ice within the sea ice pack, which alter the local oceanatmosphere
heat and moisture exchange. They are differentiated as coastal (latent heat) or open-ocean (sensible
heat) polynya according to their formation process. Coastal polynyas are critical sources of dense water and
formation of Antarctic BottomWater (AABW) following the brine enrichment of surface waters during sea-ice
formation, and are easily influenced by local atmosphere conditions. However, few studies have examined the
atmospheric response of open-ocean polynyas onto the coastal polynyas given the fact that open-ocean polynyas
have capacity to re-adjust atmospheric circulation. To better understand the surrounding impact of large openocean
polynya events, output from CMIP6 historical experiment synoptic scale EC-Earth3 is adapted. The
results show an increased coastal polynya frequency and extent occurring with more active open-ocean polynya
years in the Weddell Sea. The findings can to a degree be explained by near-surface air temperature and
wind speed differences in the coastal regions, which are found statistically significant between most and least
active open-ocean polynya years. There are however still uncertainties regarding the representation of highlatitude
ocean and atmosphere processes in global coupled models. Still, the findings contribute to a better
understanding of coastal polynya opening processes, as well as how we might expect to see the different type
of polynya interact by their influence and dependence on surrounding atmospheric conditions.
Degree
Student essay
Collections
View/ Open
Date
2023-05-10Author
Gunnarsson, Jakob
Series/Report no.
B1219
Language
eng