The arctic system reanalysis asr, which can be viewed as a blend of modeling and observations, provides a high resolution description in space 15 km and time 3 h of the atmospheresea iceland surface system of the arctic. The arctic is a key part of the global climate system because the net positive energy input to the tropics must ultimately be resolved through substantial energy losses in highlatitude regions. Identify patterns and trends in arctic sea ice from maps and satellite imagery. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate. Arctic, the barents sea is the site of coupled feedback processes that are important for creating variability in the entire arctic airiceocean system. Lettenmaier,f wieslaw maslowski,d robert osinski,g andrew roberts,d and xubin zengb a department of civil and environmental engineering, university of washington, seattle. The arctic climate dynamics group conducts observations and evaluates models of arctic sea ice to document and predict climate change impacts on arctic marine ecosystems. This project and several complementary projects grew out of regional arctic climate modelling work at the naval postgraduate school, the. Asr is produced using highresolution versions of the polar weather forecast model pwrf and the wrfvar and high resolution land data assimilation hrldas data assimilation systems that have been optimized for the arctic. Pdf sea ice is the central component and most sensitive indicator of the arctic climate system. The work is devoted to the study of the arctic climate system. The regional arctic system model rasm has been developed to advance capability in simulating critical physical processes, feedbacks and their impact on the arctic climate system and to reduce uncertainty in its prediction.
Glacier front, alpefjord, northeast greenland national park photo. The arctic system reanalysis is a multiagency, universityled retrospective analysis reanalysis of the greater arctic. The arctic system reanalysis asr polar meteorology. Our simulated climate matches paleoclimatic observations of. From the arctic cryosphere to the climate system 0 terry v. While the important role of the arctic in the global climate system has long been recognized, recent. According to the ipcc intergovernmental panel on climate change, the arctic is experiencing the fast and drastic climate change with a temperature increase of 1. Zakharov state research center of the russian federationarctic and antarctic research institute federal service for hydrometeorology and environment monitoring st.
Callaghan, margareta johansson, jeff key, terry prowse, maria ananicheva, alexander klepikov changes in the arctics climate are a result of complex interactions between. A variety of research projects are being undertaken to help determine additional climatechange effects on refuge wildlife species and their habitats. Land surface climate in the regional arctic system model joseph hamman,a bart nijssen,a michael brunke,b john cassano,c anthony craig,d alice duvivier,c mimi hughes,c,e dennis p. The arctic is warming at a rate of almost twice the global average. Trevelyan wing is a research fellow at the climate institute. A former stefansson fellow at the dartmouth institute of arctic studies, he holds an mphil in environmental change and management from oxford university and a ba from dartmouth college. Integrated regional changes in arctic climate feedbacks.
Pdf a study of feedbacks and the formation of climate. Publications regional arctic system model rasm naval. The arctic states hold a responsibility to safeguard the future development of the region and. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate 2. Simulating arctic climate warmth and icefield retreat in. Arctic system reanalysis asr ncar climate data guide. Asr is produced using highresolution versions of the polar weather forecast model pwrf and the wrfvar and high resolution land data assimilation.
This comprehensive, uptodate assessment begins with an outline of early arctic exploration and the growth of modern research. In spite of the paucity of actual data, certain progress has been achieved over the. In the future, arctic warming and the melting of polar glaciers will be considerable, but the magnitude of both is uncertain. The antarctic treaty system as a model for arctic governance 1. The climate of the arctic is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Synthesis of results from several arctic and boreal research programmes provides evidence for the strong role of high. Past and present find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Arctic and boreal ecosystems of western north america as. Relative importance of tropical atlantic and pacific sst anomalies. The arctic, defined as the area north of the arctic circle, is a vulnerable and complex system integral to earths climate. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate physical characteristics and basic climatic features the basic atmospheric heat budget the atmospheric circulation the surface energy budget precipitation, net precipitation and river discharge arctic oceansea iceclimate interactions climate regimes of the arctic. It is the first to provide an integrated assessment of the arctic climate system, recognizing that a true understanding of how the arctic functions lies in appreciating the interactions and. Fullfills climate minor application option course description addresses current issues impacting the arctic region from the perspective of visiting scientists, social scientists, practitioners, and arctic indigenous leaders.
On average, the temperature on the earths surface has increased by 0. Physical characteristics and basic climatic features 3. If the atmosphere starts to warm, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere will increase. Both the depletion and areal decline of the arctic sea. Monitoring climate changes and impacts refuge researchers, along with other agencies and scientists, are studying the impacts of global climate change within the arctic refuge. Land surface climate in the regional arctic system model. The interplay of recent vegetation and sea ice dynamics. There is a large amount of variability in climate across the arctic, but all regions experience extremes of solar radiation in both summer and winter. A wealth of valuable information about the recent climate of the arctic is presented in this excellent volume this is one of the best books on the arctic climate system and should be required reading for all scientists and students engaged in the study of the arctic environment. Make predictions about the future extent of sea ice changes in the arctic. Some parts of the arctic are covered by ice sea ice, glacial ice, or snow yearround, and nearly all parts of the arctic experience long periods with.
Cambridge core climatology and climate change the arctic climate system by mark c. An important example is the water vapor feedback loop. Precipitation, net precipitation and river discharge 7. Without urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the world will continue to feel the effects of a warming arctic.
The arctic influences the global climate system through both positive and negative feedbacks that involve physical, ecological, and human systems of the arctic. Atmospheric measurements as a prerequisite for modeling. Understanding feedback loops the sensitivity of earths climate system is determined mostly by feedback loops or mechanisms. The book begins with a historical perspective, followed by discussion of the basic physical and climatic. Arctic climate impact assessment acia overview report.
The central arctic ocean is a challenging location to reach and to study but plays an important role in the climate system. Global climate change and the arctic region the worlds climate is changing. Guess, which comprises a dynamic vegetation model lpj. It spans the width of subject areas, covering impacts on physical and biological systems, as well as on humanity. The temperatures in the arctic continue to rise at more than twice the global annual average, which drives many of the changes underway in the arctic. The changes will also reach far beyond the arctic, affecting global climate, sea level, biodiversity, and many aspects of social and economic systems. The arctic climate system, second edition request pdf. Alaska chokes on wildfires as heat waves dry out the arctic.
Understanding the arctic climate system oceanography department. Climate change and the arctic 5 learning objectives students will examine their knowledge and beliefs about the topic of climate change in the arctic. The large arctic fires in june could be a sign of a climate tipping point, said thomas smith, a climate researcher at the london school of economics and political science. Guess, a regional atmosphere model rca, and an ocean sea ice model rco, to explore the dynamic coupling between vegetation and sea ice during 19892011. Introduction to arctic climate system program on climate. This region influences patterns and changes in the arctic system and encompasses the boreal forest region.
Recent accelerated warming over the arctic coincides with sea ice reduction and shifting patterns of land cover. The land of the midnight sun has enchanted humankind for centuries. In addition to the regional consequences of arctic climate change are its global impacts. The arctic can be viewed as an integrated system, characterised by intimate couplings between its atmosphere, ocean and land, linked in turn to the larger global system. We used a global climate model, a dynamic ice sheet model, and paleoclimatic data to evaluate northern hemisphere highlatitude warming and its impact on arctic icefields during the last interglaciation. Pdf recent advances in understanding the arctic climate system. In other words, the effect of an initial process causes changes in a.
Conclusions glossary bibliography biographical sketch summary major climate zones and types of the earth are considered using alisovs genetic classification as a framework. A k duvivier, j j cassano, a craig, j hamman, w maslowski, b nijssen, r osinski, a roberts 2016 journal of climate pdf version 3. A number of critical arctic climate feedbacks affect the global climate system, and many of these. Warm periods, like today, are associated with high northward heat transport, reduced arctic sea. The group is also documenting bering sea changes, where research suggests a shift from predominantly interannual variability to decadal variability. The vulnerability stems in part from the extensive cover of ice and snow, where the freezing point marks a critical threshold that when crossed has the potential to transform the region. It is the first to provide an integrated assessment of the arctic climate system, recognizing that a true understanding of how the arctic functions lies in appreciating the interactions and linkages among its various components. Climate change in the arctic thus deserves and requires urgent attention by decision makers and the public worldwide. Pdf a dynamical link between the arctic and the global. The arctic climate system cambridge atmospheric and space. Feedbacks occur within the system that can either dampen or amplify the response to external factors affecting the climate. Although water vapor is a greenhouse gas, it has very little effect on the external factors controlling the climate, unless pushed from within. By means of simulations with a global coupled aogcm it is shown that changes in the polar energy sink region can exert a strong influence on the mid and highlatitude climate by modulating the strength of the midlatitude westerlies and storm. The data is organized around seven different topic areas.
Arctic changes and their effects on alaska and the rest of. A dynamical link between the arctic and the global climate system. Rarely does a visitor to this unique and storied region leave without impressions that last a lifetime. Climate change is crucial to arctic geopolitics and has led to a renewed interest in the regions resources. Carbon dioxide is often abbreviated by its chemical formula, co. Arctic governance in a time of change in 2007, russia planted its flag beneath the north pole, laying claim to large expanses of arctic. Global context, predictability and regional impacts. Covered in sea ice yearround, with midnight sun in the.
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