Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing

Abstract Model and observational evidence has shown that ocean current speeds in the Beaufort Gyre have increased and recently stabilized. Because these currents rival ice drift speeds, we examine the potential for the Beaufort Gyre's shift from a system in which the wind drives the ice and the...

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Main Authors: Sarah Dewey, James Morison, Ronald Kwok, Suzanne Dickinson, David Morison, Roger Andersen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-02-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076229
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author Sarah Dewey
James Morison
Ronald Kwok
Suzanne Dickinson
David Morison
Roger Andersen
author_facet Sarah Dewey
James Morison
Ronald Kwok
Suzanne Dickinson
David Morison
Roger Andersen
author_sort Sarah Dewey
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Model and observational evidence has shown that ocean current speeds in the Beaufort Gyre have increased and recently stabilized. Because these currents rival ice drift speeds, we examine the potential for the Beaufort Gyre's shift from a system in which the wind drives the ice and the ice drives a passive ocean to one in which the ocean often, in the absence of high winds, drives the ice. The resultant stress exerted on the ocean by the ice and the resultant Ekman pumping are reversed, without any change in average wind stress curl. Through these curl reversals, the ice‐ocean stress provides a key feedback in Beaufort Gyre stabilization. This manuscript constitutes one of the first observational studies of ice‐ocean stress inclusive of geostrophic ocean currents, by making use of recently available remote sensing data.
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publishDate 2018-02-01
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record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-c9f729eacb154b228cd4cf5d40b775ab2025-08-20T01:51:44ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-02-014531499150810.1002/2017GL076229Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote SensingSarah Dewey0James Morison1Ronald Kwok2Suzanne Dickinson3David Morison4Roger Andersen5School of Oceanography University of Washington Seattle WA USASchool of Oceanography University of Washington Seattle WA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena CA USAPolar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USAUniversity of Utah Salt Lake City UT USAPolar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USAAbstract Model and observational evidence has shown that ocean current speeds in the Beaufort Gyre have increased and recently stabilized. Because these currents rival ice drift speeds, we examine the potential for the Beaufort Gyre's shift from a system in which the wind drives the ice and the ice drives a passive ocean to one in which the ocean often, in the absence of high winds, drives the ice. The resultant stress exerted on the ocean by the ice and the resultant Ekman pumping are reversed, without any change in average wind stress curl. Through these curl reversals, the ice‐ocean stress provides a key feedback in Beaufort Gyre stabilization. This manuscript constitutes one of the first observational studies of ice‐ocean stress inclusive of geostrophic ocean currents, by making use of recently available remote sensing data.https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076229ArcticEkmanice‐oceanfeedback
spellingShingle Sarah Dewey
James Morison
Ronald Kwok
Suzanne Dickinson
David Morison
Roger Andersen
Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
Geophysical Research Letters
Arctic
Ekman
ice‐ocean
feedback
title Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
title_full Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
title_fullStr Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
title_full_unstemmed Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
title_short Arctic Ice‐Ocean Coupling and Gyre Equilibration Observed With Remote Sensing
title_sort arctic ice ocean coupling and gyre equilibration observed with remote sensing
topic Arctic
Ekman
ice‐ocean
feedback
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076229
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AT ronaldkwok arcticiceoceancouplingandgyreequilibrationobservedwithremotesensing
AT suzannedickinson arcticiceoceancouplingandgyreequilibrationobservedwithremotesensing
AT davidmorison arcticiceoceancouplingandgyreequilibrationobservedwithremotesensing
AT rogerandersen arcticiceoceancouplingandgyreequilibrationobservedwithremotesensing