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| Titel |
Modelling the Freshwater Budget of the Arctic Ocean using the LOVECLIM global climate model |
| VerfasserIn |
Frazer Davies, Hans RENSSEN |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2011
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 13 (2011) |
| Datensatznummer |
250054807
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The Arctic Ocean is a major source of freshwater for the North Atlantic, although the total
flux of freshwater is not constant due to seasonal variations in sea-ice cover, river
runoff, net-precipitation and ablation of the Greenland ice sheet. The net result
of these sources of freshwater is a large volume of freshwater travelling from the
Arctic region into the sub-arctic seas. Recent observations and projections from
numerous climate models highlight that the Arctic region is warming at a greater rate
than other regions of the world. This would suggest that freshwater fluxes within
the Arctic Ocean are likely to be altered and this highlights the need for a greater
understanding of the various processes and mechanisms that operate within the Arctic
region.
We present here simulations that investigate the ability of the LOVECLIM global climate
model to calculate freshwater fluxes within the Arctic Ocean over the later part of the 20th
century. The model is forced with forcings appropriate for that time period. Freshwater fluxes
are calculated and compared with in situ measurements, obtained form the literature, to
assess the relative values and the proportional distribution of freshwater that the
model simulates. It is known that large freshwater pulses in the North Atlantic
have had a dramatic effect upon the climate, therefore it is imperative that climate
models and earth system models are able to simulate freshwater flow as accurately as
possible.
Freshwater flux values have not previously been calculated using models, bar a few
notable exceptions, this study will lay down a starting point for such future modelling
studies. |
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