Arctic Sea Level Variation in the Context of Climate Change: Accelerated
rise period and Change of Key Influencing factors
- Fan Yang,
- Lujun Zhang
Abstract
This study finds that sea level height in Arctic marginal sea in melting
season enters an accelerated rise period since the beginning of the 21st
century. It is found that precipitation is the dominant factor affecting
the change of sea level height in melting season in 1979-1998. Polar
vortex and Arctic Oscillation become dominant factors since the
accelerated rise period, especially in Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea and
Kara Sea. Main reason for the change of dominant factors may be that a
clockwise surface wind anomaly in strong polar vortex year became more
significant in these regions during the accelerated rise period. The
strong wind anomaly affects distribution of sea water through processes
such as surface wind stress. Specifically, a polar vortex-wind-sea level
height mechanism is strengthened, thus affecting the change of sea level
height. CESM2 future scenario simulation results show that sea level
height will rise by 0.4m by 2100.