Effects of Water Vapor and Cloud Fraction in AIRS Retrievals on Arctic Sea Ice Variability

Abstract

Using the precipitable water vapor (PWV) and cloud fraction (CF) measurements from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), this study investigates the potential feedback on Arctic sea ice concentration (SIC) caused by variations in PWV and total CF, as well as CFs at low, middle and high levels during December 2002–November 2020. We find that increases in PWV and total CF generally coincide with the Arctic sea ice decline in each season, and both PWV and total CF anomalies are typically correlated with SIC anomalies in all seasons except for the PWV anomalies in summer. Additionally, during all seasons except summer, the low CF generally exhibits closer connection than the middle and high CFs with the trend in total CF and sea ice, and the correlation of SIC with total CF anomalies is governed by that with low CF anomalies. The sensitivities of SIC to changes in PWV and total CF are typically negative, and they are generally consistent with each other in each season. Moreover, the negative sensitivities of SIC to low, middle and high CFs are greatest and most extensive in summer. The contribution of PWV is typically much greater and more extensive than that of total CF to Arctic sea ice change in all seasons. Among the CFs at different levels, the positive contribution of low CF is typically most extensive in winter and spring, while the contributions of high and middle CFs are relatively greater in summer and autumn.