Responses of Arctic sea ice to stratospheric ozone depletion

The Arctic has experienced several extreme springtime stratospheric ozone depletion events over the past four decades, particularly in 1997, 2011 and 2020. However, the impact of this stratospheric ozone depletion on the climate system remains poorly understood. Here we show that the stratospheric ozone depletion causes significant reductions in the sea ice concentration (SIC) and the sea ice thickness (SIT) over the Kara Sea, Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea from spring to summer. This is partially caused by enhanced ice transport from Barents-Kara Sea and East Siberian Sea to the Fram Strait, which is induced by a strengthened and longer lived polar vortex associated with stratospheric ozone depletion. Additionally, cloud longwave radiation and surface albedo feedbacks enhance the melting of Arctic sea ice, particularly along the coast of the Eurasian continent. This study highlights the need for realistic representation of stratosphere-troposphere interactions in order to accurately predict Arctic sea ice loss. (C) 2022 The Authors. Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science China Press.

Automated summary

The study shows that stratospheric ozone depletion leads to significant reductions in the sea ice concentration and thickness in the Arctic during spring and summer. This is caused by enhanced ice transport and feedbacks from cloud longwave radiation and surface albedo. The study highlights the importance of accurately representing stratosphere-troposphere interactions in predicting Arctic sea ice loss.