Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Simulation of sea ice in FGOALS-g2: Climatology and late 20th century changes

  • Published:
Advances in Atmospheric Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sea ice is an important component in the Earth’s climate system. Coupled climate system models are indispensable tools for the study of sea ice, its internal processes, interaction with other components, and projection of future changes. This paper evaluates the simulation of sea ice by the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model Grid-point Version 2 (FGOALS-g2), in the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP5), with a focus on historical experiments and late 20th century simulation. Through analysis, we find that FGOALS-g2 produces reasonable Arctic and Antarctic sea ice climatology and variability. Sea ice spatial distribution and seasonal change characteristics are well captured. The decrease of Arctic sea ice extent in the late 20th century is reproduced in simulations, although the decrease trend is lower compared with observations. Simulated Antarctic sea ice shows a reasonable distribution and seasonal cycle with high accordance to the amplitude of winter-summer changes. Large improvement is achieved as compared with FGOALS-g1.0 in CMIP3.

Diagnosis of atmospheric and oceanic forcing on sea ice reveals several shortcomings and major aspects to improve upon in the future: (1) ocean model improvements to remove the artificial island at the North Pole; (2) higher resolution of the atmosphere model for better simulation of important features such as, among others, the Icelandic Low and westerly wind over the Southern Ocean; and (3) ocean model improvements to accurately receive freshwater input from land, and higher resolution for resolving major water channels in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bitz, C. M., and W. H. Lipscomb, 1999: An energy-conserving thermodynamic model of sea ice. J. Geophys. Res., 104(C7), 15669–15677, doi: 10.1029/1999JC900100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canuto, V. M., A. Howard, Y. Cheng, and M. S. Dubovikov, 2001: Ocean turbulence. Part I: Onepoint closure model-Momentum and heat vertical diffusivities. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31, 1413–1426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canuto, V. M., A. Howard, Y. Cheng, and M. S. Dubovikov, 2002: Ocean turbulence. Part II: Vertical diffusivities of momentum, heat, salt, mass, and passive scalars. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 32, 240–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cavalieri, D. J., and C. L. Parkinson, 2008: Antarctic sea ice variability and trends, 1979-2006. J. Geophys. Res., 113, C07004, doi: 10.1029/2007JC004564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comiso, J., 1999: updated 2008, Bootstrap sea ice concentrations from 627 NIMBUS-7 SMMR and DMSP SSM/I, 1979–2007. Tech. Rep., National Snow and Ice Data Center, Boulder, Colorado, USA, Digital media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dukowicz, J. K. and J. R. Baumgardner, 2000: Incremental remapping as a transport advection algorithm. Journal of Computational Physics, 160, 318–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durner, G. M., and Coauthors, 2009: Predicting 21stcentury polar bear habitat distribution from 647 global climate models. Ecological Monographs, 79, 25–58, doi: 10.1890/07-2089.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fahrbach, E., 2006: Arctic-subarctic ocean flux array for European climate: North. Tech. Rep., Alfred Wegener Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung, 63pp. [Available online at http://www.awi651bremerhaven.de/Research/IntCoop/Oce/ASOF/index.htm.]

    Google Scholar 

  • Harms, S., E. Fahrbach, and V. H. Strass, 2001: Sea ice transport in the Weddell Sea. J. Geophys. Res., 106(C5), 9057–9073.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunke, E. C., and J. K. Dukowicz, 1997: An elasticviscous-plastic model for sea ice dynamics. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 27(9), 1849–1867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingvaldsen, R. B., L. Asplin, and H. Loeng, 2004: The seasonal cycle in the Atlantic transport to the Barents Sea during the years 1997–2001. Cont. Shelf Res., 24, 1015–1032, doi: 10.1016/j.csr.2004.02.011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok, R., and G. F. Cunningham, 2008: ICESat over Arctic sea ice: Estimation of snow depth and ice thickness. J. Geophys. Res., 113, doi: 10.1029/2008JC004753.

  • Kwok, R., G. F. Cunningham, M. Wensnahan, I. Rigor, H. J. Zwally, and D. Yi, 2009: Thinning and volume loss of the Arctic Ocean sea ice cover: 2003–2008. J. Geophys. Res., 114, doi: 10.1029/2009JC005312.

  • Li, L., and Coauthors, 2013a: The flexible global oceanatmosphere-land system model, Grid-point version 2: FGOALS-g2. Adv. Atmos. Sci., doi: 10.1007/s00376-012-2140-6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, L., and Coauthors, 2013b: Development and evaluation of grid-point atmospheric model of IAP LASG, version 2.0 (GAMIL 2.0). Adv. Atmos. Sci., doi: 10.1007/s00376-013-2157-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, P., H. L. Liu, and X. Zhang, 2007: Sensitivity of the upper ocean temperature and circulation in the equatorial pacific to solar radiation penetration due to phytoplankton. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 24, 765–780, doi: 10.1007/s00376-007-0765-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J., 2010: Sensitivity of sea ice and ocean simulations to sea ice salinity in a coupled global climate model. Science China (D), 53(6), 911–916.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J., J. A. Curry, and D. G. Martinson, 2004: Interpretation of recent Antarctic sea ice variability. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, doi: 10.1029/2003GL018732.

  • Loeng, H., V. Ozhigin, and B. Adlandsvik, 1997: Water fluxes through the Barents Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 54, 310–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Münchow, A., and H. Melling, 2008: Ocean current observations from Nares Strait to the west of greenland: Interannual to tidal variability and forcing. Journal of Marine Research, 66, 801–833.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oleson, K. W., and Coauthors, 2010: Technical description of version 4.0 of the community land model (CLM), NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-478+STR, 1–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prinsenberg, S., J. Hamilton, I. Peterson, and R. Pettipas, 2009: Observing and interpreting the seasonal variability of the oceanographic fluxes passing through Lancaster Sound of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Influence of Climate Change on the Changing Arctic and Sub-Arctic Conditions. J. C. J. Nihoul and A. G. Kostianoy, Eds., NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, Springer Netherlands, 125–143.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rothrock, D. A., Y. Yu, and G. A. Maykut, 1999: Thinning of the Arctic sea-ice cover. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26(23), 3469–3472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schauer, U., A. Beszczynska-Möller, W. Walczowski, E. Fahrbach, J. Piechura, and E. Hansen, 2008: Variation of measured heat flow through the Fram Strait between 1997 and 2006. Arctic-Subarctic Ocean Fluxes, R. R. Dickson, J. Meincke, and P. Rhines, Eds., Springer, Netherlands, 65–85.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen, K., and P. M. Haugan, 1996: Heat budgets of the Arctic Mediterranean and sea surface heat flux parameterizations for the Nordic Seas. J. Geophys. Res., 101(3), 6553–6576, doi: 10.1029/95JC03305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smedsrud, L. H., R. Ingvaldsen, J. E. Ø. Nilsen, and Ø. Skagseth, 2010: Heat in the Barents Sea: transport, storage, and surface fluxes. Ocean Science, 6, 219–234, doi: 10.5194/os-6-219-2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steele, M., R. Morley, and W. Ermold, 2001: PHC: A global ocean hydrography with a high quality Arctic Ocean. J. Climate, 14, 2079–2087.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stroeve, J., M. M. Holland, W. Meier, T. Scambos, and M. Serreze, 2007: Arctic Sea ice decline: Faster than forecast. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, doi: 10.1029/2007GL029703.

  • Stroeve, J., M. Serreze, S. Drobot, S. Gearheard, M. Holland, J. Maslanik, W. Meier, and T. Scambos, 2008: Arctic Sea ice extent plummets in 2007. Eos. Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 89(2), 13–14, doi: 10.1029/2008EO020001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, D. W. J., and J. M. Wallace, 2000: Annular Modes in the extratropical circulation, Part I: Month-to-month variability. J. Climate, 13, 1000–1016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorndike, A. S., D. S. Rothrock, G. A. Maykut, and R. Colony, 1975: Thickness distribution of sea ice. J. Geophys. Res., 80(C33), 4501–4513, doi: 10.1029/JC080i033p04501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, B., H. Wan, Z. Z. Ji, X. Zhang, R. C. Yu, Y. Q. Yu, and H. L. Liu, 2004: Design of a new dynamical core for global atmospheric models based on some efficient numerical methods. Science China (A), 47, 4–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodgate, R. A., and K. Aagaard, 2005: Revising the Bering Strait freshwater flux into the Arctic Ocean. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021747.

  • Yu, R. C., 1994: A two-step shape-preserving advection scheme. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 11, 79–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, Y., and Coauthors, 2008: Coupled model simulations of climate changes in the 20th century and beyond. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 25(4), 641–654, doi: 10.1007/s00376-008-0641-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, Y., W. Zheng, B. Wang, H. Liu, and J. Liu, 2011: Versions g1.0 and g1.1 of the LASG/IAP flexible global ocean-atmosphere-land system model. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28(1), 99–117, doi: 10.1007/s00376-010-9112-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, G. J., and M. Mu, 2005: Effects of modifications to the Zhang-McFarlane convection parameterization on the simulation of the tropical precipitation in the national center for atmospheric research community climate model, version 3. J. Geophys. Res., 110, D09109, doi: 10.1029/2004JD005617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, X., and J. E. Walsh, 2006: Toward a seasonally ice-covered Arctic Ocean: Scenarios from the IPCC AR4 model simulations. J. Climate, 19, 1730–1747, doi: 10.1175/JCLI3767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Center of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Shiming Xu  (徐世明), Bin Wang  (王 斌), Wenyu Huang  (黄文誉), Li Liu  (刘 利), Kun Xia  (夏 坤) & Wei Xue  (薛 巍)

  2. State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Mirong Song  (宋米荣), Jiping Liu  (刘骥平), Bin Wang  (王 斌), Lijuan Li  (李立娟), Ye Pu  (普 业), Li Dong  (董 理), Si Shen  (申 思), Ning Hu  (胡 宁), Mimi Liu  (刘咪咪) & Wenqi Sun  (孙文奇)

Authors
  1. Shiming Xu  (徐世明)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mirong Song  (宋米荣)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jiping Liu  (刘骥平)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bin Wang  (王 斌)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lijuan Li  (李立娟)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Wenyu Huang  (黄文誉)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Li Liu  (刘 利)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kun Xia  (夏 坤)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Wei Xue  (薛 巍)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Ye Pu  (普 业)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Li Dong  (董 理)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Si Shen  (申 思)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Ning Hu  (胡 宁)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Mimi Liu  (刘咪咪)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Wenqi Sun  (孙文奇)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bin Wang  (王 斌).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xu, S., Song, M., Liu, J. et al. Simulation of sea ice in FGOALS-g2: Climatology and late 20th century changes. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 30, 658–673 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-013-2158-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-013-2158-4

Key words

Search

Navigation