Abstract

Abstract. The role of sea ice in the Earth climate system is still under debate, although it is known to influence albedo, ocean circulation, and atmosphere–ocean heat and gas exchange. Here we present a reconstruction of 1950 to 1998 AD sea ice in the Laptev Sea based on the Akademii Nauk ice core (Severnaya Zemlya, Russian Arctic). The chemistry of halogens bromine (Br) and iodine (I) is strongly active and influenced by sea ice dynamics, in terms of physical, chemical and biological process. Bromine reacts on the sea ice surface in autocatalyzing "bromine explosion" events, causing an enrichment of the Br / Na ratio and hence a bromine excess (Brexc) in snow compared to that in seawater. Iodine is suggested to be emitted from algal communities growing under sea ice. The results suggest a connection between Brexc and spring sea ice area, as well as a connection between iodine concentration and summer sea ice area. The correlation coefficients obtained between Brexc and spring sea ice (r = 0.44) as well as between iodine and summer sea ice (r = 0.50) for the Laptev Sea suggest that these two halogens could become good candidates for extended reconstructions of past sea ice changes in the Arctic.

Highlights

  • The rapid and unexpected decrease of Arctic sea ice during recent decades has highlighted the lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms controlling sea ice growth and decay

  • Considering that the air masses arriving at Akademii Nauk in spring and summer originate primarily from the Laptev Sea and that this region displays the greatest seasonal variability in sea ice area, we consider halogen concentration in the Akademii Nauk ice core to be most likely dominated by sea ice variability in the Laptev Sea

  • The halogens iodine and bromine reported here from the Akademii Nauk ice core from Severnaya Zemlya offer a new perspective on the variability of sea ice extent in the Arctic

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Summary

Introduction

The rapid and unexpected decrease of Arctic sea ice during recent decades has highlighted the lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms controlling sea ice growth and decay. Sea ice formation is an important process for driving salinification of surface waters, thereby promoting convection in polar regions (Holland et al, 2001). Satellite measurements have documented a rapid decrease in recent Arctic summer sea ice area (Comiso, 2011; Stroeve et al, 2007). During the last 10 years, the four lowest September sea ice minima of the last 35 years have been recorded Edu), with the lowest sea ice area of 3.41 million km recorded on 16 September 2012

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