Atmospheric Control of the Surface Energy Budget
Abstract
LONG-TERM GOAL: Understand how the atmosphere/ice system responds to changes in large-scale atmospheric forcing, including weather events, the seasonal cycle, and recent and historical decadal trends. OBJECTIVES: (1) Document the recent increased strength in the Arctic atmospheric polar vortex, termed the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Special emphasis is on spatial co-variability. The AO is associated with increased wind speeds at middle altitudes (~ 500 mb), lower surface pressures, warmer temperatures at lower altitudes and colder stratospheric temperatures. The AO includes all of the Arctic region and was not generally manifest before 1970. It is seen in the early 1970s and is especially strong in the 1990s. (2) Document how such large-scale atmospheric changes influence regional sea ice thermodynamic and dynamic processes based on the heterogeneous and plastic nature of sea ice. Sea ice is far from homogeneous on scales of 1-300 km. Major kinematic features are concentrated in long, narrow slip lines. In winter, surface fluxes are upward over thin ice and downward over thick ice.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA535802
Entities
People
- James E. Overland
Organizations
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration