HR: 0800h
AN: OS41A-0463    [Abstracts]
TI: Observed Changes at the Surface of the Arctic Ocean
AU: * Ortmeyer, M
EM: morto@apl.washington.edu
AF: Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA 98105 United States
AU: Rigor, I
EM: morto@apl.washington.edu
AF: Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA 98105 United States
AB: The Arctic has long been considered a harbinger of global climate change since simulations with global climate models predict that if the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere doubles, the Arctic would warm by more than 5øC, compared to a warming of 2øC for subpolar regions (Manabe et al., 1991). And indeed, studies of the observational records show polar amplification of the warming trends (e.g. Serreze and Francis, 2004). These temperature trends are accompanied by myriad concurrent changes in Arctic climate. One of the first indicators of Arctic climate change was found by Walsh et al. (1996) using sea level pressure (SLP) data from the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP, http://iabp.apl.washington.edu). In this study, they showed that SLP over the Arctic Ocean decreased by over 4 hPa from 1979 - 1994. The decreases in SLP (winds) over the Arctic Ocean, forced changes in the circulation of sea ice and the surface ocean currents such that the Beaufort Gyre is reduced in size and speed (e.g. Rigor et al., 2002). Data from the IABP has also been assimilated into the global surface air temperature (SAT) climatologies (e.g. Jones et al. 1999), and the IABP SAT analysis shows that the temperature trends noted over land extend out over the Arctic Ocean. Specifically, Rigor et al. (2000) found warming trends in SAT over the Arctic Ocean during winªter and spring, with values as high as 2øC/decade in the eastern Arctic during spring. It should be noted that many of the changes in Arctic climate were first observed or explained using data from the IABP. The observations from IABP have been one of the cornerstones for environmental forecasting and studies of climate and climate change. These changes have a profound impact on wildlife and people. Many species and cultures depend on the sea ice for habitat and subsistence. Thus, monitoring the Arctic Ocean is crucial not only for our ability to detect climate change, but also to improve our understanding of the Arctic and global climate system, and for forecasting weather and sea ice conditions. The IABP provides the longest continuing record of observations for the Arctic Ocean.
UR: http://iabp.apl.washington.edu
DE: 9315 Arctic region
DE: 4207 Arctic and Antarctic oceanography
DE: 4215 Climate and interannual variability (3309)
DE: 4540 Ice mechanics and air/sea/ice exchange processes
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting