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- Title
Far-Reaching Effects of Okhotsk Sea Ice Area on Sea Surface Heat Flux, Lower Atmosphere, and Ocean Mixed Layer.
- Authors
TOMOHIRO NAKAMURA; YUSUKE TAKAHASHI; TAKUYA NAKANOWATARI; HUMIO MITSUDERA
- Abstract
The impact of interannual variations in sea ice area in the Okhotsk Sea was investigated through a composite analysis of years with extensive and limited sea ice areas (referred to as heavy and light ice years, respectively), using atmospheric and oceanic reanalysis data. The comparison of heavy and light ice-year composites in February revealed a substantial decrease in upward surface turbulent heat flux in the Okhotsk Sea (~-250 W m-2) and a notable increase in a surprisingly extensive region in the western North Pacific (30-120 W m-2), spanning 2300 km from the ice edge. These differences were consistent with the decrease in surface air temperature and specific humidity, suggesting that during heavy ice years, cold and dry air blowing from Siberia to the North Pacific via the Okhotsk Sea undergoes less modification over larger sea ice areas, remaining colder and drier in the North Pacific and thereby enhancing the heat flux. Such advection can be associated with the Asian winter monsoon and migratory cyclones. Cloud cover and surface radiation flux altered consistently with these differences, although longwave and shortwave radiation largely counterbalanced each other. Additionally, the Pacific storm track exhibited variation. In accordance with the heat flux difference, sea surface temperature decreased, and the ocean mixed layer deepened around the subarctic during heavy ice years. These findings suggest that sea ice area in the Okhotsk Sea influences the lower atmosphere and surface ocean in the North Pacific. Such impacts could further affect ocean nutrient circulation, ecosystems, and atmospheric teleconnections.
- Subjects
SIBERIA (Russia); ATMOSPHERIC boundary layer; SEA ice; OCEANIC mixing; HEAT flux; OCEAN temperature; SURFACE area
- Publication
Journal of Climate, 2024, Vol 37, Issue 2, p569
- ISSN
0894-8755
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1175/JCLI-D-23-0239.1