TY - CONF
T1 - High resolution modelling of the decreasing Arctic sea ice
T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2012, Vienna | Austria | 22 – 27 April
AU - Madsen, K. S.
AU - Rasmussen, T. A. S.
AU - Blüthgen, Jonas
AU - Ribergaard, M. H.
PY - 2012/4/1
Y1 - 2012/4/1
N2 - The Arctic sea ice cover has been rapidly decreasing and thinning over
the last decade, with minimum ice extent in 2007 and almost as low
extent in 2011. This study investigates two aspects of the decreasing
ice cover; first the large scale thinning and changing dynamics of the
polar sea ice, and secondly oceanic oil drift in ice affected
conditions. Both investigations are made with the coupled ocean - sea
ice model HYCOM-CICE at 10 km resolution, which is also used
operationally at DMI and allows detailed studies of sea ice build-up,
drift and melt. To investigate the sea ice decrease of the last decade,
we have performed a reanalysis simulation of the years 1990-2011, forced
with ERA Interim atmospheric data. Thus, the simulation includes both
the period before the recent sea ice decrease and the full period of
decrease up till today. We will present our model results of the
thinning and changing dynamics and discuss how they relate to satellite
observations. The relation to the upper ocean heat content is also
investigated. The decreasing sea ice has opened up for increased ship
traffic and oil exploration in the polar oceans. To avoid damage on the
pristine Arctic ecosystem, this requires careful environmental
assessments. Here, one important tool is to investigate how a possible
oil spill will drift and disperse. Through an ensemble of simulations,
we will demonstrate the drift of imaginary spills off the Greenlandic
coast for both a release at the surface and the in the deep ocean, and
it will be discussed how sea ice affects the drift.
AB - The Arctic sea ice cover has been rapidly decreasing and thinning over
the last decade, with minimum ice extent in 2007 and almost as low
extent in 2011. This study investigates two aspects of the decreasing
ice cover; first the large scale thinning and changing dynamics of the
polar sea ice, and secondly oceanic oil drift in ice affected
conditions. Both investigations are made with the coupled ocean - sea
ice model HYCOM-CICE at 10 km resolution, which is also used
operationally at DMI and allows detailed studies of sea ice build-up,
drift and melt. To investigate the sea ice decrease of the last decade,
we have performed a reanalysis simulation of the years 1990-2011, forced
with ERA Interim atmospheric data. Thus, the simulation includes both
the period before the recent sea ice decrease and the full period of
decrease up till today. We will present our model results of the
thinning and changing dynamics and discuss how they relate to satellite
observations. The relation to the upper ocean heat content is also
investigated. The decreasing sea ice has opened up for increased ship
traffic and oil exploration in the polar oceans. To avoid damage on the
pristine Arctic ecosystem, this requires careful environmental
assessments. Here, one important tool is to investigate how a possible
oil spill will drift and disperse. Through an ensemble of simulations,
we will demonstrate the drift of imaginary spills off the Greenlandic
coast for both a release at the surface and the in the deep ocean, and
it will be discussed how sea ice affects the drift.
M3 - Poster
ER -