Tropical cyclone activity over western North Pacific favors Arctic sea ice increase

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-11, Vol.15 (1), p.9564-11, Article 9564
• Main Authors: Zeng, Liangying, Ha, Yao, Zhao, Chuanfeng, Dai, Haixia, Zhu, Yimin, Hu, Yijia, Zhu, Xiaoyu, Ding, Zhiyuan, Liu, Yudi, Zhong, Zhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 704/106/35/823; 704/106/694/2739; Adiabatic; Climate models; Cyclones; Humanities and Social Sciences; Long wave radiation; multidisciplinary; Planetary waves; Polar vortex; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sea ice; Teleconnections; Tropical cyclones; Tropical environments; Troposphere; Wave packets; Wave propagation
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53991-y

Teleconnections between the tropics and the Arctic have attracted a lot of scientific interest. However, the mechanisms by which tropical synoptic-scale systems influence the variability of Arctic sea ice remain unknown. In this study, we highlight the impacts of tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific (WNP) on Arctic Sea Ice Concentration (SIC) using observational evidence and climate model simulation experiments. Our findings demonstrate significant positive correlations between Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) in the WNP and SIC in the Arctic-Pacific Sector (APS), particularly when considering a 30-day lag. The TC activity over the WNP induces Rossby wave train propagation towards the Arctic, leading to anomalous cyclonic circulation over the upper troposphere of the APS. The anomalous cyclone over the Arctic, on one hand, signifies the deepening of the Arctic polar vortex and diminishes adiabatic warming over the APS, subsequently inducing cooling and drying of the lower Arctic air. This process reduces downward longwave radiation, promoting an increase in September APS SIC. On the other hand, the anomalous cyclone over the Arctic hinders the export of sea ice and local melting processes throughout the Fram Strait. These findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of tropics-Arctic teleconnections. This study shows that tropical cyclone activity over the western North Pacific induces Rossby wave train propagation towards the Arctic, leading to an anomalous cyclonic circulation in the upper troposphere and favoring Arctic sea ice increase.