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Comparison of Atmospheric Circulation in the Area of Spitsbergen in 1920–1950 and in the Modern Warming Period

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Abstract

The results of studying the temporal variability of atmospheric circulation in the Western Arctic (the Norwegian and Barents seas) are presented. The daily dataset of Girs-Vangengeim E, W, and C circulation forms for the period of 1891–2016 is used to describe atmospheric circulation. Special attention is given to the estimation of differences in weather conditions during the modern period of warming (1985–2015) and in the period of the first Arctic warming (1920–1950). For the cold (November-March) and warm (April-October) seasons, the trends in the frequency of occurrence of the circulation forms are determined. The occurrence of the number of consecutive days with the same atmospheric circulation form which can be considered as a characteristic of weather stability during the analyzed period of warming, is computed for both seasons. The prevalence of the E circulation form during the warm season is typical of both periods. The modern period of warming in the study area, as compared to the period of the first warming, is characterized by an increase in the occurrence of the C circulation form with a short duration. It is found that the current climate regime is characterized by an increase in surface air temperature against a background of less stable weather conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arctic and Antarctic Research institute, ul. Beringa 38, St. Petersburg, 199397, Russia

    P. N. Svyashchennikov, U. V. Prokhorova & B. V. Ivanov

  2. Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7-9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia

    P. N. Svyashchennikov & B. V. Ivanov

Authors
  1. P. N. Svyashchennikov
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  2. U. V. Prokhorova
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  3. B. V. Ivanov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. N. Svyashchennikov.

Additional information

Russian Text © The Author(s), 2020, published in Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya, 2020, No. 1, pp. 36–44.

Funding

The studies were performed within the Roshydromet project “Studying Long-term Changes in Hydrometeorological and Environmental Conditions of the Spitsbergen Archipelago,” thejoint scientific program of Roshydromet and Norwegian Meteorological Institute for 2019–2021 and were supported by the grant of the National Science Center of Potand “Causes of the Early 20th Century Arctic Warming” (2015/19/B/ST10/02933) and by the project “Investigation of Rapid Climate Changes in the Arctic and Their Regional and Large-scale Consequences” (application code 2017-14-588-0005-003, project unique ID RFMEFI615617X0078).

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Svyashchennikov, P.N., Prokhorova, U.V. & Ivanov, B.V. Comparison of Atmospheric Circulation in the Area of Spitsbergen in 1920–1950 and in the Modern Warming Period. Russ. Meteorol. Hydrol. 45, 22–28 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373920010033

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373920010033

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