Imprint of large‐scale atmospheric transport patterns on sea‐salt records in northern Greenland ice cores

The decadal to interannual variability of sea‐salt aerosol concentrations in northern Greenland ice cores is investigated and contrasted to meteorological reanalysis data over the time span 1959–1993. Correlation analysis with average data on sea level pressure and geopotential height at the 500 mbar level identifies the eastern and northeastern Pacific region as the most important center of action responsible for variations in sea‐salt aerosol export onto the Greenland ice sheet which is related to the Pacific/North American teleconnection pattern. The Atlantic region, however, appears to be of secondary importance only. Correlation coefficients are highest during the first quarter of the year but also significant for annual pressure data, explaining ∼20% of the sea‐salt variance in the ice cores. Furthermore, higher storm activity in the Pacific center of action, as well as in the northern Atlantic, leads to higher sea‐salt concentrations in northern Greenland, explaining about 40% and 17% of the ice core variance. A 30% increase during the nineteenth century in a 600 year sea‐salt record from northeastern Greenland may be interpreted, at least in part, as an enhancement of sea‐salt export from the Pacific region during that time.