The Regional Influence of the Arctic Oscillation and Arctic Dipole on the Wintertime Arctic Surface Radiation Budget and Sea Ice Growth

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 44; no. 9; pp. 4341 - 4350
• Main Authors: Hegyi, Bradley M., Taylor, Patrick C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Langley Research Center American Geophysical Union 16.05.2017; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Anomalies; Arctic Oscillation; Arctic radiation; Arctic sea ice; Atmosphere; Atmospheric temperature; Atmospheric variability; cloud radiative effect; Clouds; Dipoles; Downwelling; Energy; Energy balance; Fluctuations; Flux; large‐scale atmospheric variability; longwave surface fluxes; Meteorological satellites; Ocean-atmosphere interaction; Oceanography; Oscillations; Radiation; Radiation budget; Sea ice; Sea ice growth; Sky; Statistical analysis; Temperature; Terrestrial radiation; Water temperature; Water vapor; winter; PNE, Kara Sea; PNE, Barents Sea; Eurasia; Arctic region
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1002/2017GL073281

An analysis of 2000-2015 monthly Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System-Energy Balanced and Filled (CERES-EBAF) and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA2) data reveals statistically significant fall and wintertime relationships between Arctic surface longwave (LW) radiative flux anomalies and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Arctic Dipole (AD). Signifying a substantial regional imprint, a negative AD index corresponds with positive downwelling clear-sky LW flux anomalies (greater than10W m(exp -2)) north of western Eurasia (0 deg E-120 deg E) and reduced sea ice growth in the Barents and Kara Seas in November-February. Conversely, a positive AO index coincides with negative clear-sky LW flux anomalies and minimal sea ice growth change in October-November across the Arctic. Increased (decreased) atmospheric temperature and water vapor coincide with the largest positive (negative) clear-sky flux anomalies. Positive surface LW cloud radiative effect anomalies also accompany the negative AD index in December-February. The results highlight a potential pathway by which Arctic atmospheric variability influences the regional surface radiation budget over areas of Arctic sea ice growth.