Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model

<p>Rapid decline in Arctic sea ice has created more open water for ocean wave development and highlighted the importance of wave–ice interactions in the Arctic. Some studies have made contributions to our understanding of the potential role of the prognostic floe size distribution (FSD) in sea...

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Main Authors: C.-Y. Yang, J. Liu, D. Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2024-03-01
Series:The Cryosphere
Online Access:https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/1215/2024/tc-18-1215-2024.pdf
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author C.-Y. Yang
J. Liu
J. Liu
D. Chen
author_facet C.-Y. Yang
J. Liu
J. Liu
D. Chen
author_sort C.-Y. Yang
collection DOAJ
description <p>Rapid decline in Arctic sea ice has created more open water for ocean wave development and highlighted the importance of wave–ice interactions in the Arctic. Some studies have made contributions to our understanding of the potential role of the prognostic floe size distribution (FSD) in sea ice changes. However, these efforts do not represent the full interactions across atmosphere, ocean, wave, and sea ice. In this study, we implement a modified joint floe size and thickness distribution (FSTD) in a newly developed regional atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model and conduct a series of pan-Arctic simulations with different physical configurations related to FSD changes, including FSD-fixed, FSD-varied, lateral melting rate, wave-fracturing formulation, and wave attenuation rate. Firstly, our atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled simulations show that the prognostic FSD leads to reduced ice area due to enhanced ice–ocean heat fluxes, but the feedbacks from the atmosphere and the ocean partially offset the reduced ice area induced by the prognostic FSD. Secondly, lateral melting rate formulations do not change the simulated FSD significantly, but they influence the flux exchanges across atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice and thus sea ice responses. Thirdly, the changes in FSD are sensitive to the simulated wave height, wavelength, and wave period associated with different wave-fracturing formulations and wave attenuation rates, and the limited oceanic energy imposes a strong constraint on the response of sea ice to FSD changes. Finally, our results also demonstrate that wave-related physical processes can have impacts on sea ice changes with the constant FSD, suggesting the indirect influences of ocean waves on sea ice through the atmosphere and the ocean.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-56635d5229704e6ebca3499a660fa2742024-03-12T10:07:11ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242024-03-01181215123910.5194/tc-18-1215-2024Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled modelC.-Y. Yang0J. Liu1J. Liu2D. Chen3Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaSchool of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China<p>Rapid decline in Arctic sea ice has created more open water for ocean wave development and highlighted the importance of wave–ice interactions in the Arctic. Some studies have made contributions to our understanding of the potential role of the prognostic floe size distribution (FSD) in sea ice changes. However, these efforts do not represent the full interactions across atmosphere, ocean, wave, and sea ice. In this study, we implement a modified joint floe size and thickness distribution (FSTD) in a newly developed regional atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model and conduct a series of pan-Arctic simulations with different physical configurations related to FSD changes, including FSD-fixed, FSD-varied, lateral melting rate, wave-fracturing formulation, and wave attenuation rate. Firstly, our atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled simulations show that the prognostic FSD leads to reduced ice area due to enhanced ice–ocean heat fluxes, but the feedbacks from the atmosphere and the ocean partially offset the reduced ice area induced by the prognostic FSD. Secondly, lateral melting rate formulations do not change the simulated FSD significantly, but they influence the flux exchanges across atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice and thus sea ice responses. Thirdly, the changes in FSD are sensitive to the simulated wave height, wavelength, and wave period associated with different wave-fracturing formulations and wave attenuation rates, and the limited oceanic energy imposes a strong constraint on the response of sea ice to FSD changes. Finally, our results also demonstrate that wave-related physical processes can have impacts on sea ice changes with the constant FSD, suggesting the indirect influences of ocean waves on sea ice through the atmosphere and the ocean.</p>https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/1215/2024/tc-18-1215-2024.pdf
spellingShingle C.-Y. Yang
J. Liu
J. Liu
D. Chen
Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
The Cryosphere
title Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
title_full Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
title_fullStr Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
title_full_unstemmed Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
title_short Understanding the influence of ocean waves on Arctic sea ice simulation: a modeling study with an atmosphere–ocean–wave–sea ice coupled model
title_sort understanding the influence of ocean waves on arctic sea ice simulation a modeling study with an atmosphere ocean wave sea ice coupled model
url https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/1215/2024/tc-18-1215-2024.pdf
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