Abstract
The physical mechanism of Arctic amplification is still controversial. Specifically, relative role of vertical processes resulting from the reduction of sea ice in the Barents-Kara Seas is not clearly understood in comparison with the horizontal heat and moisture advection. Energy and moisture budgets are analyzed over the region of sea ice reduction in order to delineate the relative roles of horizontal and vertical processes. A detailed analysis of energy and moisture budgets in the atmospheric column indicates that both the vertical source from the release of heat flux and moisture due to sea ice reduction and the horizontal advection of heat and moisture are essential for explaining the variation of temperature and specific humidity over the Barents-Kara Seas. The vertical flux term explains a slightly larger fraction of the mean increase in temperature and specific humidity, while the horizontal advection is a major source of variability in temperature and specific humidity in the atmospheric column.
Highlights
In recent decades, Arctic warming has been accelerating in the lower troposphere during the cold season (Serreze et al 2009; Screen and Simmonds 2010a; Screen et al 2013)
Calculation based on the Clausius–Clapeyron relationship (Iribarne and Godson 1981; North and Erukhimova 2009) shows that the increased saturation specific humidity owing to the increased air temperature is commensurate in magnitude with the increased specific humidity
Based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis data, detailed heat and moisture budgets are examined in association with Arctic amplification in order to delineate the relative roles of horizontal and vertical processes
Summary
Arctic warming has been accelerating in the lower troposphere during the cold season (Serreze et al 2009; Screen and Simmonds 2010a; Screen et al 2013). The lower tropospheric warming is due to turbulent heat flux released from the open sea surface, which remains to be free of ice in winter (Screen and Simmonds 2010a, b; Deser et al 2010; Overland et al 2011; Serreze and Barry 2011; Cohen et al 2014; Kim et al 2016) According to this proposed mechanism, increased reception of insolation through the sea surface exposed to air in summer keeps the sea surface warmer and the stored energy in summer is released in fall and early winter making the atmosphere warmer. Thermal energy budget equation is used to assess the relative importance of horizontal heat advection and vertical source of energy from the release of turbulent heat fluxes and radiation trapped in the atmospheric column
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