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Assessing Whether Climate Variability in the Pacific Basin Influences the Climate over the North Atlantic and Greenland and Modulates Sea Ice Extent

Porter, Stacy E
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366297907

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Atmospheric Sciences.
Large-scale teleconnections govern the atmospheric circulation and climate of many regions around the globe. However, interactions between these teleconnection patterns are not well understood due to their complexity, multi-decadal temporal scale, and relatively short instrumental records. Greenland ice cores provide an opportunity to examine the climate regime of the North Atlantic prior to the instrumental record. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) influences the climate regime over Greenland, and its signal is most prominently preserved in ice core records from west central Greenland. However, the strength of NAO’s impact on Greenland fluctuates on decadal time scales, and this may be modulated by climate variability in the Pacific Ocean sector. This study explores the interactions between Atlantic and Pacific climate variability and the impact on Greenland climate. Periods during the instrumental record when the NAO influence is weak over Greenland coincide with sea surface temperature changes in the Pacific sector (Pacific Decadal Oscillation, PDO) and a decoupling between the atmosphere and ocean in the Atlantic sector. In order to examine the interactions between the Atlantic and Pacific prior to the instrumental record, the Bona-Churchill ice core from southeast Alaska is incorporated into the study. The Bona-Churchill accumulation record is strongly influenced by the Aleutian Low which is in turn influenced by the PDO. Results show that when the Aleutian Low is weak, the accumulation records from Alaska and Greenland are strongly in-phase likely due to the northward displacement of the storm track. The current warming trend has had profound impacts on Arctic sea ice extent which may influence the behavior of large-scale circulation and teleconnections. Sea ice extent records are derived primarily from satellite observations that are relatively short and do not provide a longer term perspective that includes an earlier analogue for the current warming environment. The ice cores from Greenland and Alaska are examined to determine their feasibility for reconstructing regional and total Arctic sea ice. Using ice cores from west central Greenland and southeast Alaska, this study seeks to determine the effects of North Pacific teleconnection patterns on Greenland climate, the interactions with the North Atlantic Oscillation, and the changing behavior of these teleconnection patterns under the current warming trend with reduced Arctic sea ice.
Ellen Mosley-Thompson (Advisor)
David Bromwich (Committee Member)
Jialin Lin (Committee Member)
Lonnie Thompson (Committee Member)
248 p.
Atmospheric Sciences
climate; ice core; North Atlantic Oscillation; Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Porter, S. E. (2013). Assessing Whether Climate Variability in the Pacific Basin Influences the Climate over the North Atlantic and Greenland and Modulates Sea Ice Extent [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366297907

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Porter, Stacy. Assessing Whether Climate Variability in the Pacific Basin Influences the Climate over the North Atlantic and Greenland and Modulates Sea Ice Extent. 2013. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366297907.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Porter, Stacy. "Assessing Whether Climate Variability in the Pacific Basin Influences the Climate over the North Atlantic and Greenland and Modulates Sea Ice Extent." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366297907

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1366297907
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.