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Reconstructing climate variability from Greenland ice sheet accumulation: An ERA40 study
Author(s) -
Hutterli M. A.,
Raible C. C.,
Stocker T. F.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl024745
Subject(s) - greenland ice sheet , climatology , groenlandia , geology , ice core , north atlantic oscillation , future sea level , oceanography , ice sheet , physical geography , cryosphere , sea ice , geography , ice stream
Re‐analysis data covering the period 1958–2001 are used to investigate the relationship between regional, inter‐annual snow accumulation variability over the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and large scale circulation patterns, cyclone frequency, and strength. Four regions of the GrIS have been identified that are highly independent with respect to accumulation variability. Accumulation indices of three of these regions are associated with distinct large‐scale circulation patterns: Central‐western GrIS reveals an inverse relationship with a NAO‐like pattern, the south‐west a positive correlation with a high pressure bridge from central North Atlantic to Scandinavia, and the south‐eastern GrIS a positive correlation with a high‐pressure anomaly over the Greenland Sea. These large‐scale patterns also impact European climate in different ways. Accumulation variability in north‐eastern GrIS, however, is dominated by cyclones originating from the Greenland Sea. Thus, Greenland ice core accumulation records offer the potential to reconstruct various large‐scale circulation patterns and regional storm activity.