While the important role of the arctic in the global climate system has long been recognized, recent. The arctic is a key part of the global climate system because the net positive energy input to the tropics must ultimately be resolved through substantial energy losses in highlatitude regions. The data is organized around seven different topic areas. Climate change is crucial to arctic geopolitics and has led to a renewed interest in the regions resources. Alaska chokes on wildfires as heat waves dry out the arctic. A dynamical link between the arctic and the global climate system. The interplay of recent vegetation and sea ice dynamics. The arctic system reanalysis asr polar meteorology. Precipitation, net precipitation and river discharge 7. Integrated regional changes in arctic climate feedbacks. In spite of the paucity of actual data, certain progress has been achieved over the. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate 2. Atmospheric measurements as a prerequisite for modeling.
A former stefansson fellow at the dartmouth institute of arctic studies, he holds an mphil in environmental change and management from oxford university and a ba from dartmouth college. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate. This comprehensive, uptodate assessment begins with an outline of early arctic exploration and the growth of modern research. Rarely does a visitor to this unique and storied region leave without impressions that last a lifetime. In other words, the effect of an initial process causes changes in a. Simulating arctic climate warmth and icefield retreat in. The work is devoted to the study of the arctic climate system. Identify patterns and trends in arctic sea ice from maps and satellite imagery. In the future, arctic warming and the melting of polar glaciers will be considerable, but the magnitude of both is uncertain. Asr is produced using highresolution versions of the polar weather forecast model pwrf and the wrfvar and high resolution land data assimilation. Physical characteristics and basic climatic features 3.
Make predictions about the future extent of sea ice changes in the arctic. By means of simulations with a global coupled aogcm it is shown that changes in the polar energy sink region can exert a strong influence on the mid and highlatitude climate by modulating the strength of the midlatitude westerlies and storm. Understanding the arctic climate system oceanography department. The book begins with a historical perspective, followed by discussion of the basic physical and climatic. The evolution of knowledge about the arctic and its climate physical characteristics and basic climatic features the basic atmospheric heat budget the atmospheric circulation the surface energy budget precipitation, net precipitation and river discharge arctic oceansea iceclimate interactions climate regimes of the arctic. Callaghan, margareta johansson, jeff key, terry prowse, maria ananicheva, alexander klepikov changes in the arctics climate are a result of complex interactions between. The arctic, defined as the area north of the arctic circle, is a vulnerable and complex system integral to earths climate. The land of the midnight sun has enchanted humankind for centuries. A variety of research projects are being undertaken to help determine additional climatechange effects on refuge wildlife species and their habitats. From the arctic cryosphere to the climate system 0 terry v. Acting as the northern hemispheres refrigerator, a frozen arctic plays a central role in regulating earths climate system.
The temperatures in the arctic continue to rise at more than twice the global annual average, which drives many of the changes underway in the arctic. Conclusions glossary bibliography biographical sketch summary major climate zones and types of the earth are considered using alisovs genetic classification as a framework. The changes will also reach far beyond the arctic, affecting global climate, sea level, biodiversity, and many aspects of social and economic systems. Glacier front, alpefjord, northeast greenland national park photo. Recent accelerated warming over the arctic coincides with sea ice reduction and shifting patterns of land cover.
We used a global climate model, a dynamic ice sheet model, and paleoclimatic data to evaluate northern hemisphere highlatitude warming and its impact on arctic icefields during the last interglaciation. Some parts of the arctic are covered by ice sea ice, glacial ice, or snow yearround, and nearly all parts of the arctic experience long periods with. Past and present find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The regional arctic system model rasm has been developed to advance capability in simulating critical physical processes, feedbacks and their impact on the arctic climate system and to reduce uncertainty in its prediction. Guess, which comprises a dynamic vegetation model lpj. Cambridge core climatology and climate change the arctic climate system by mark c. Pdf sea ice is the central component and most sensitive indicator of the arctic climate system. Pdf a dynamical link between the arctic and the global. The arctic is warming at a rate of almost twice the global average. Global context, predictability and regional impacts. Publications regional arctic system model rasm naval.
Without urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the world will continue to feel the effects of a warming arctic. The central arctic ocean is a challenging location to reach and to study but plays an important role in the climate system. Synthesis of results from several arctic and boreal research programmes provides evidence for the strong role of high. On average, the temperature on the earths surface has increased by 0. The vulnerability stems in part from the extensive cover of ice and snow, where the freezing point marks a critical threshold that when crossed has the potential to transform the region. The arctic influences the global climate system through both positive and negative feedbacks that involve physical, ecological, and human systems of the arctic. Introduction to arctic climate system program on climate. It is the first to provide an integrated assessment of the arctic climate system, recognizing that a true understanding of how the arctic functions lies in appreciating the interactions and linkages among its various components. An important example is the water vapor feedback loop. Arctic climate impact assessment acia overview report. Our simulated climate matches paleoclimatic observations of. There is a large amount of variability in climate across the arctic, but all regions experience extremes of solar radiation in both summer and winter. Fullfills climate minor application option course description addresses current issues impacting the arctic region from the perspective of visiting scientists, social scientists, practitioners, and arctic indigenous leaders. Zakharov state research center of the russian federationarctic and antarctic research institute federal service for hydrometeorology and environment monitoring st.
The arctic system reanalysis is a multiagency, universityled retrospective analysis reanalysis of the greater arctic. Land surface climate in the regional arctic system model. Arctic system reanalysis asr ncar climate data guide. Covered in sea ice yearround, with midnight sun in the. The large arctic fires in june could be a sign of a climate tipping point, said thomas smith, a climate researcher at the london school of economics and political science. The climate of the arctic is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The antarctic treaty system as a model for arctic governance 1. Although water vapor is a greenhouse gas, it has very little effect on the external factors controlling the climate, unless pushed from within. The arctic system reanalysis asr, which can be viewed as a blend of modeling and observations, provides a high resolution description in space 15 km and time 3 h of the atmospheresea iceland surface system of the arctic. Arctic changes and their effects on alaska and the rest of. Both the depletion and areal decline of the arctic sea.
The group is also documenting bering sea changes, where research suggests a shift from predominantly interannual variability to decadal variability. According to the ipcc intergovernmental panel on climate change, the arctic is experiencing the fast and drastic climate change with a temperature increase of 1. Lettenmaier,f wieslaw maslowski,d robert osinski,g andrew roberts,d and xubin zengb a department of civil and environmental engineering, university of washington, seattle. Monitoring climate changes and impacts refuge researchers, along with other agencies and scientists, are studying the impacts of global climate change within the arctic refuge. This region influences patterns and changes in the arctic system and encompasses the boreal forest region.
The arctic climate system cambridge atmospheric and space. Arctic governance in a time of change in 2007, russia planted its flag beneath the north pole, laying claim to large expanses of arctic. Understanding feedback loops the sensitivity of earths climate system is determined mostly by feedback loops or mechanisms. A k duvivier, j j cassano, a craig, j hamman, w maslowski, b nijssen, r osinski, a roberts 2016 journal of climate pdf version 3. It spans the width of subject areas, covering impacts on physical and biological systems, as well as on humanity. Climate change and the arctic 5 learning objectives students will examine their knowledge and beliefs about the topic of climate change in the arctic. Pdf a study of feedbacks and the formation of climate. Arctic and boreal ecosystems of western north america as.
It is the first to provide an integrated assessment of the arctic climate system, recognizing that a true understanding of how the arctic functions lies in appreciating the interactions and. The arctic climate dynamics group conducts observations and evaluates models of arctic sea ice to document and predict climate change impacts on arctic marine ecosystems. If the atmosphere starts to warm, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere will increase. Global climate change and the arctic region the worlds climate is changing. The arctic climate system, second edition request pdf. Warm periods, like today, are associated with high northward heat transport, reduced arctic sea. Carbon dioxide is often abbreviated by its chemical formula, co. Relative importance of tropical atlantic and pacific sst anomalies. Trevelyan wing is a research fellow at the climate institute. This project and several complementary projects grew out of regional arctic climate modelling work at the naval postgraduate school, the. Arctic, the barents sea is the site of coupled feedback processes that are important for creating variability in the entire arctic airiceocean system. Guess, a regional atmosphere model rca, and an ocean sea ice model rco, to explore the dynamic coupling between vegetation and sea ice during 19892011. Pdf recent advances in understanding the arctic climate system. A number of critical arctic climate feedbacks affect the global climate system, and many of these.
Climate change in the arctic thus deserves and requires urgent attention by decision makers and the public worldwide. Land surface climate in the regional arctic system model joseph hamman,a bart nijssen,a michael brunke,b john cassano,c anthony craig,d alice duvivier,c mimi hughes,c,e dennis p. The arctic states hold a responsibility to safeguard the future development of the region and. A wealth of valuable information about the recent climate of the arctic is presented in this excellent volume this is one of the best books on the arctic climate system and should be required reading for all scientists and students engaged in the study of the arctic environment. Feedbacks occur within the system that can either dampen or amplify the response to external factors affecting the climate. The arctic can be viewed as an integrated system, characterised by intimate couplings between its atmosphere, ocean and land, linked in turn to the larger global system. Asr is produced using highresolution versions of the polar weather forecast model pwrf and the wrfvar and high resolution land data assimilation hrldas data assimilation systems that have been optimized for the arctic.
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