Tropical Indian Ocean Warming Contributes to Arctic Warming

• Published in: Geophysical research letters 2022-12, Vol.49 (23), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Xu, Jianxiang, Luo, Jing‐Jia, Yuan, Chaoxia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC); Climate; Climate change; Global climate; Global warming; Heat; Heat transport; Numerical experiments; Ocean temperature; Ocean warming; Oceans; Sea surface; Sea surface temperature; Surface temperature; Temperature; Upper ocean; Warm air; Winds
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2022GL101339

Currently, the Arctic is undergoing a significant warming, which has exerted widespread impacts on global climate. Although many mechanisms responsible for the Arctic warming have been proposed, the impacts of the multi‐decadal change of tropical sea surface temperature receive little attention. Here we use numerical experiments to elucidate that the Indian Ocean (IO) warming may contribute to the Arctic warming. Through enhancing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the IO warming remotely induces more ocean heat transport from the North Atlantic to the Arctic. The resulted upper ocean warming dominates the surface warming in the Arctic. Additionally, despite the net negative contribution of the atmospheric heat transport, more warm air is conveyed into the Kara Seas, North Eurasia, and North America sectors, contributing to the local warming. The results propose a new mechanism to interpret the Arctic warming and indicate the important remote impacts of the tropical IO warming. Plain Language Summary The Arctic warming is a significant phenomenon in the context of global warming, which not only impacts the local ecosystem but also influences global climate. Improved understanding of its causes is important to the protection of the Arctic ecosystem and the forecast of global climate. Although many previous studies have proposed various mechanisms to interpret the Arctic warming, its causes are still not fully understood. In this study, we find that the Indian Ocean (IO) warming is also a possible contributor to the Arctic warming. Through enhancing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the IO warming remotely induces more ocean heat transport from the North Atlantic to the Arctic and then contributes to the Arctic warming. Additionally, the southerly winds in the high latitudes in response to the IO warming, transport more warm air into the Kara Seas, North Eurasia and North America and contributes to the local warming. The present study indicates the IO warming may also contribute to the Arctic warming. A better understanding of the remote impacts of tropical oceans may foster the comprehensive understanding of the complicated reasons for the Arctic warming. Key Points Rapid warming in the Indian Ocean (IO) may contribute to the Arctic warming through both oceanic and atmospheric pathways More ocean heat is transported from the North Atlantic to the Arctic due to enhanced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in response to t