Modeling the water isotopes in Greenland precipitation 1959-2001 with the meso-scale model REMO-iso

• Ice core studies have proved the delta(18)O in Greenland precipitation to be correlated to the phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This subject has also been investigated in modeling studies. However, these studies have either had severe biases in the delta(18)O levels, or have not been designed to be compared directly with observations. In this study we nudge a meso-scale climate model fitted with stable water isotope diagnostics (REMO-iso) to follow the actual weather patterns for the period 1959-2001. We evaluate this simulation using meteorological observations from stations along the Greenland coast, and delta(18)O from several Greenland ice core stacks and Global Network In Precipitation (GNIP) data from Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard. The REMO-iso output explains up to 40% of the interannual delta(18)O variability observed in ice cores, which is comparable to the model performance for precipitation. In terms of reproducing the observed variability the global model, ECHAM4-iso performs on the same level as REMO-iso. However, REMO-iso has smaller biases in delta(18)O and improved representation of the observed spatial delta(18)O-temperature slope compared to ECHAM4-iso. Analysis of the main modes of winter variability of delta(18)O shows a coherent signal in Central and Western Greenland similar to results from ice cores. The NAO explains 20% of the leading delta(18)O pattern. Based on the model output we suggest that methods to reconstruct the NAO from Greenland ice cores employ both delta(18)O and accumulation records.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (hsv//eng)

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