Warm-air advection, air mass transformation and fog causes rapid ice melt

Tjernström, MichaelStockholms universitet,Meteorologiska institutionen (MISU) (författare)

Direct observations during intense warm-air advection over the East Siberian Sea reveal a period of rapid sea-ice melt. A semistationary, high-pressure system north of the Bering Strait forced northward advection of warm, moist air from the continent. Air-mass transformation over melting sea ice formed a strong, surface-based temperature inversion in which dense fog formed. This induced a positive net longwave radiation at the surface while reducing net solar radiation only marginally; the inversion also resulted in downward turbulent heat flux. The sum of these processes enhanced the surface energy flux by an average of similar to 15Wm(-2) for a week. Satellite images before and after the episode show sea-ice concentrations decreasing from > 90% to similar to 50% over a large area affected by the air-mass transformation. We argue that this rapid melt was triggered by the increased heat flux from the atmosphere due to the warm-air advection.

Shupe, Matthew D. (författare)
Brooks, Ian M. (författare)
Persson, P. Ola G. (författare)
Prytherch, John (författare)
Salisbury, Dominic J. (författare)
Sedlar, JosephStockholms universitet,Meteorologiska institutionen (MISU)(Swepub:su)jose7536 (författare)
Achtert, Peggy (författare)
Brooks, Barbara J. (författare)
Johnston, Paul E. (författare)
Sotiropoulou, GeorgiaStockholms universitet,Meteorologiska institutionen (MISU)(Swepub:su)geso4462 (författare)
Wolfe, Dan (författare)
Stockholms universitetMeteorologiska institutionen (MISU) (creator_code:org_t)

Av författaren/redakt...: Tjernström, Mich ...; Shupe, Matthew D ...; Brooks, Ian M.; Persson, P. Ola ...; Prytherch, John; Salisbury, Domin ...; visa fler...; Sedlar, Joseph; Achtert, Peggy; Brooks, Barbara ...; Johnston, Paul E ...; Sotiropoulou, Ge ...; Wolfe, Dan; visa färre...

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