NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Arctic Sea Ice Simulation in the PlioMIP EnsembleEight general circulation models have simulated the mid-Pliocene warm period (mid-Pliocene, 3.264 to 3.025 Ma) as part of the Pliocene Modelling Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP). Here, we analyse and compare their simulation of Arctic sea ice for both the pre-industrial period and the mid-Pliocene. Mid-Pliocene sea ice thickness and extent is reduced, and the model spread of extent is more than twice the pre-industrial spread in some summer months. Half of the PlioMIP models simulate ice-free conditions in the mid-Pliocene. This spread amongst the ensemble is in line with the uncertainties amongst proxy reconstructions for mid-Pliocene sea ice extent. Correlations between mid-Pliocene Arctic temperatures and sea ice extents are almost twice as strong as the equivalent correlations for the pre-industrial simulations. The need for more comprehensive sea ice proxy data is highlighted, in order to better compare model performances.
Document ID
20160004954
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Howell, Fergus W.
(Leeds Univ. United Kingdom)
Haywood, Alan M.
(Leeds Univ. United Kingdom)
Otto-Bliesner, Bette L.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Bragg, Fran
(Bristol Univ. United Kingdom)
Chan, Wing-Le
(Tokyo Univ. Kashiwa, Japan)
Chandler, Mark A.
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Contoux, Camille
(Aix-Marseilles Univ. France)
Kamae, Youichi
(Tsukuba Univ. Japan)
Abe-Ouchi, Ayako
(Tokyo Univ. Kashiwa, Japan)
Rosenbloom, Nan A.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Stepanek, Christian
(Alfred-Wegener-Inst. for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Germany)
Zhang, Zhongshi
(Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research Bergen, Norway)
Date Acquired
April 8, 2016
Publication Date
March 23, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Climate of the Past
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
e-ISSN: 1814-9332
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN31106
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NERC NE/H006273/1
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX14AB99A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM0323516
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX10AU63A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
simulation
correlation
Arctic Ocean
sea ice
thickness
Atmospheric General Circulation Models
summer

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available