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Climate
Local and remote controls on observed Arctic warming
Article first published online: 30 MAY 2012
DOI: 10.1029/2012GL051598
Copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union
Additional Information
How to Cite
, , and (2012), Local and remote controls on observed Arctic warming, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L10709, doi:10.1029/2012GL051598.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 30 MAY 2012
- Article first published online: 30 MAY 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 22 APR 2012
- Manuscript Revised: 17 APR 2012
- Manuscript Received: 4 MAR 2012
Keywords:
- Arctic;
- Arctic amplification;
- climate change;
- forcing;
- sea ice;
- sea surface temperature
[1] The Arctic is warming two to four times faster than the global average. Debate continues on the relative roles of local factors, such as sea ice reductions, versus remote factors in driving, or amplifying, Arctic warming. This study examines the vertical profile and seasonality of observed tropospheric warming, and addresses its causes using atmospheric general circulation model simulations. The simulations enable the isolation and quantification of the role of three controlling factors of Arctic warming: 1) observed Arctic sea ice concentration (SIC) and sea surface temperature (SST) changes; 2) observed remote SST changes; and 3) direct radiative forcing (DRF) due to observed changes in greenhouse gases, ozone, aerosols, and solar output. Local SIC and SST changes explain a large portion of the observed Arctic near-surface warming, whereas remote SST changes explain the majority of observed warming aloft. DRF has primarily contributed to Arctic tropospheric warming in summer.