Long-term trends of the Polar and Arctic cells influencing the Arctic climate since 1989

Abstract

The strengthening and broadening trends of the Hadley cell have been revealed, while the existence of the Arctic cell has also been confirmed in previous studies. This study extends previous strengthening trend analyses of the Hadley cell to the Polar and Arctic cells in the Northern Hemisphere and explores their climate influences. Results show that the Polar cell experienced an abrupt change from a slow to a rapid strengthening trend in 1989, while the Arctic cell showed an insignificant strengthening trend and a significant weakening trend successively. The strengthening subsidence flow associated with the Polar and Arctic cells can partly explain the warming surface air temperature and declining sea ice concentration through the increasing tropospheric height and temperature trends. These results provide new insights for understanding the interdecadal relationship between atmospheric circulation and climate change in the Arctic region.