Connections of Yenisei River discharge to sea surface temperatures, sea ice, and atmospheric circulation

Abstract

This study examines the connections of Yenisei River discharge to sea surface temperatures (SSTs), atmospheric circulation, and Arctic sea ice coverage using historical records for the time period of 1936-1995. We found that Yenisei River discharge is negatively associated with SSTs over the northern North Atlantic and is positively correlated with SSTs over the tropical South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This connection is bridged by atmospheric circulation anomalies over the North Atlantic (a pattern similar to the North Atlantic Oscillation) and central Siberia. Sea ice coverage over the eastern Arctic Ocean, specifically over the eastern Siberian Sea, the Kara Sea, and the Greenland Sea, is negatively associated with Yenisei River discharge one season after the annual discharge; the abnormal ice coverage extent persists throughout the year until the next winter season. The persistent negative relationships between discharge and regional sea ice may be a result of the combined effects of the thermal and dynamic contribution of fresh water to sea ice and persistent atmospheric circulation anomalies coupled with sea ice cover over the Arctic Ocean. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.