Mesoscale features and atmospheric refraction conditions of the Arctic Marginal Ice Zone
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Authors
McNitt, James A.
Subjects
Atmospheric refraction conditions
Arctic marginal ice zone
Fram Strait, East Greenland Sea
Arctic marginal ice zone
Fram Strait, East Greenland Sea
Advisors
Davidson, Kenneth L.
Date of Issue
1984-12
Date
December 1984
Publisher
Language
en_US
Abstract
The Marginal Ice Zone Experiment (MIZEX-83) conducted in the Arctic during the summer of 1983 is summarized and the mesoscale features and atmospheric refraction conditions described. The three case studies examined are: warm air advection over dense pack ice causing strong elevated ducting and subrefraction, cold air advection over relatively open water causing shallow convection and
normal refraction condiĀtions, large scale subsidence in the western quadrants of an anticyclone leading to super-refraction and weak ducting.
Developing synoptic scale cyclones adjacent to the MIZEX-83 area often determined the airflow over the region. The observed large horizontal SST gradients were the dominant forcing mechanisms on surface layer stability. Trapping layers associated with subsidence inversions can be located on satellite imagery by assuming that stratiform clouds form
immediately below the inversion. Uniform cloud and refraction layers were not common during
MIZEX-83 due to strong mesoscale variability. Factors affecting inversion height include subsidence and entrainment mixing. Bulk Richardson number values for locations over the open water and pack ice show significant variability in stability conditions across the MIZ.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Meteorology
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.