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Thicker Clouds and Accelerated Arctic Sea Ice Decline: The Atmosphere‐Sea Ice Interactions in Spring
Author(s) -
Huang Yiyi,
Dong Xiquan,
Bailey David A.,
Holland Marika M.,
Xi Baike,
DuVivier Alice K.,
Kay Jennifer E.,
Landrum Laura L.,
Deng Yi
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2019gl082791
Subject(s) - sea ice , arctic ice pack , ice albedo feedback , antarctic sea ice , drift ice , climatology , arctic sea ice decline , cryosphere , atmosphere (unit) , arctic geoengineering , sea ice thickness , spring (device) , lead (geology) , arctic , environmental science , geology , sea ice concentration , atmospheric sciences , oceanography , meteorology , geography , geomorphology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Abstract Observations show that increased Arctic cloud cover in the spring is linked with sea ice decline. As the atmosphere and sea ice can influence each other, which one plays the leading role in spring remains unclear. Here we demonstrate, through observational data diagnosis and numerical modeling, that there is active coupling between the atmosphere and sea ice in early spring. Sea ice melting and thus the presence of more open water lead to stronger evaporation and promote cloud formation that increases downward longwave flux, leading to even more ice melt. Spring clouds are a driving force in the disappearance of sea ice and displacing the mechanism of atmosphere‐sea ice coupling from April to June. These results suggest the need to accurately model interactions of Arctic clouds and radiation in Earth System Models in order to improve projections of the future of the Arctic.