Determining factors for changes in the ice regime of the Caspian Sea

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article provides an analysis of the factors driving long-term change in the characteristics of the ice regime of the Northern Caspian Sea using satellite and in situ observation. It assesses the climatic shifts, comparing the linear trend and step change models. We link the stepwise shift in temperatures in the 1980s with the changes in the forms of atmospheric circulation. The decrease in the sum of negative temperatures impacts the length and intensity of winters with the 18–27-day reduction in the freeze period, leading to a shorter period of ice cover and reduced ice thickness by 20–28 cm.