Resolved boundary currents of Atlantic Water intensify the Beaufort Gyre in a warming Arctic Ocean
ID:415
Oral Presentation
2027-01-14 14:30 (China Standard Time)
Session:Session 5 - Arctic Ocean: Physical Processes and their Effects on Climate and the Ecosystem
Abstract
The Beaufort Gyre (BG) is a key freshwater reservoir in the Arctic Ocean, and its variability could have vast impacts on global climate. Current-generation climate models (e.g., CMIP6) typically operate at coarse resolutions (~20 km) that cannot resolve boundary currents transporting Atlantic Water (AW) in the Arctic Ocean. This leads to large uncertainties in the pathways of AW and its impact on BG dynamics. Here, using an ultra-high-resolution (2 km in the Arctic Ocean) simulation of the AWI-CM3 model with substantial improvements in simulating AW inflow and boundary current structure, we demonstrate a fundamentally different BG response under warming. After excluding the influence of surface processes, we found that the resolved, intensified AW boundary currents transport more AW into the Amerasian Basin, which results in a contraction and strengthening of the BG. Our results highlight that inadequate representation of boundary currents in coarse resolution models may lead to a systematic underestimation of future BG strengthening and its climatic implications.
Speaker
Author
Important Dates
-
Jan 30
2026
Session / Event proposals open
-
Mar 31
2026
Session / Event proposals close
(Extended to April 7) -
Apr 30
2026
Session acceptance notifications
-
Apr 30
2026
Abstract submissions & registration open
-
Jun 30
2026
Abstract submissions close
(Extended to July 21) -
Aug 31
2026
Abstract acceptance notifications
-
Sep 15
2026
Scientific program released
-
Oct 15
2026
Early bird registration closes
-
Jan 12–15
2027
XMAS 2027
