The influence of the large-scale atmospheric circulation on Antarctic sea ice during ice advance and retreat seasons

Abstract

Antarctic sea ice, a key component of the Southern Hemisphere climate system, is influenced by several large-scale modes of the atmospheric circulation. Antarctic sea ice variability is spatially heterogeneous, and links between the atmospheric circulation modes and the sea ice variability are unclear. Using the observed sea ice concentration data, this research isolates distinct regions of sea ice variability around Antarctica and determines the advance and retreat periods for each of them. The latter are then statistically linked with the observed geopotential height data to determine the atmospheric circulation pattern associated with the variability in the sea ice for each period and region. The results clarify which circulation mechanism is of primary importance to sea ice variability during critical periods of the ice lifecycle in the different regions around Antarctica and have potential for making estimates of past sea ice extent using the observed geopotential height data. © 2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.