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Effects of variability of sea ice transport through the Fram Strait on the intensity of the Atlantic deep circulation

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Abstract

Results from an ice-ocean coupled model are used to investigate the impact of long-term variability in sea ice transport at the Fram Strait on the intensity of the Atlantic deep circulation. An increase (or decrease) in sea ice transport through the Fram Strait leads to a stronger (or weaker) deep circulation in the Atlantic. Change in the sea ice transport is accompanied by a salinity anomaly in the surface layer of the Arctic Ocean. Such an anomaly could inversely affect the Atlantic circulation once it reaches deep water formation regions. If the Canadian Archipelago is closed, the anomaly is subsequently transported through the Fram Strait, and counters the initial changes in the Atlantic deep circulation. On the other hand, if the Canadian Archipelago is open, some of the anomaly is transported to the Canadian Archipelago, and the initial change in the Atlantic deep circulation persists. In the Arctic Ocean basin, the time scale and path of the salinity anomalys propagation depends on the large-scale flow at the surface of the Arctic Ocean. Our results suggest that the salinity anomaly transport and its propagation pathway out of the Arctic Ocean are important determinants of the role of sea ice transport variability through the Fram Strait in controlling the intensity of the Atlantic deep circulation.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Masahiro Endoh and Dr. Ichiro Yasuda provided helpful comments and suggestions. Thanks are extended to Dr. Akira Oka for fruitful discussions. This research was partially supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), 17740303, 2005. Figures in this paper were produced using the GFD-DENNOU graphics library.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Climate System Research, University of Tokyo, General Research Building, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba, 277-8568, Japan

    Yoshiki Komuro & Hiroyasu Hasumi

  2. Frontier Research Center for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 3173-25 Showamachi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 236-0001, Japan

    Yoshiki Komuro

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  1. Yoshiki Komuro
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  2. Hiroyasu Hasumi
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Correspondence to Yoshiki Komuro.

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Komuro, Y., Hasumi, H. Effects of variability of sea ice transport through the Fram Strait on the intensity of the Atlantic deep circulation. Clim Dyn 29, 455–467 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-007-0245-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-007-0245-x

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