Temporal and spatial change in the relationship between sea-ice motion and wind in the Arctic

Abstract

This paper examines the temporal and spatial change in the characteristics of sea-ice motion in the Arctic. Ice motion is generally expressed by a motion at a constant ratio (wind factor) of wind speed, with a certain angle (turning angle) from the wind direction, and ocean currents. This study aimed to reveal the recent changes of the wind factor and turning angle using satellite observation data. We first prepared a daily ice-velocity data set from data for 2003–2017 collected by the satellite microwave sensor Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) and its successor, AMSR2. Monthly values of the wind factor and turning angle were calculated by a least squares technique, based on the linear relationship between sea-ice velocity and geostrophic wind velocity. The daily variation of sea-ice motion was strongly correlated with that of the wind. The wind factor and turning angle changed regionally, seasonally and interannually. With regard to long-term trends, the wind factor has increased in almost all areas of the Arctic. However, the trend of increase stopped around 2010, especially around the central Arctic.

Keywords

• seasonal change
• interannual change
• wind factor