Publication Date:
1997-01-01
Description:
Antarctic sea ice plays a key role in the present climate system, providing a regulating balance between the atmosphere and ocean heat fluxes, as well as influencing the salt fluxes and deep water formation over the continental shelves. The severe winter environmental conditions of the Antarctic sea-ice zone make it difficult to observe many of the physical characteristics in a comprehensive way. The inter-relations between the variables mean that much can be learnt from the observations of some features along with detailed numerical modelling of the whole system and the interactions between the variables. This study therefore aims to use numerical modelling of the atmosphere, sea ice and surface mixed-layer ocean in the sea-ice zone, together with observations to simulate a comprehensive range of parameters and their variability through the annual cycle to provide a basis for further observations and model validation for the present climate.The model includes a coupled atmospheric general circulation model with an interactive dynamic and thermodynamic sea-ice model and surface mixed-layer ocean. The deep ocean and ocean surface conditions outside the sea-ice zone are constrained to the present mean climate conditions to ensure no climatic drift. The sca-ice model is similar to previous published versions, bill has refined schemes for partitioning of the freezing of frazil ice within the leads and under the ice floes, and for rafting. These perform well in both polar regions with the same physics. The model simulates the annual cycle of atmospheric and sea-ice features well in comparison with data from the global atmospheric analyses, the satellite sensing of sea ice, and the limited in situ surface observations.The output from the model also includes: all components of the heart fluxes, atmospheric profiles and surface temperatures for air, ice and ice-ocean mixtures, open-water fractions, surface snow and snow-ice depths, and the sea-ice convergence-divergence and drift. The comparison of these features with additional observations provides a means for further validating the model and representing the present climate more closely.
Print ISSN:
0260-3055
Electronic ISSN:
1727-5644
Topics:
Geography
,
Geosciences
Permalink