Arctic Sea Ice Sensitivity to Changing Precipitation Regimes

Recent studies have investigated the effects of a changing climate on precipitation in high latitude regions. In the Arctic, a net increase in precipitation has been a common finding in these studies. In this study, we investigate the interaction between an increased precipitation and the changing state of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. We explore potential negative and positive climate feedbacks due to the insulative and albedo properties of snow. We discuss the role of snow in retarding ice formation during the winter months in competition with slowing the onset of summer melt through both insulative and albedo processes.

Using the Los Alamos sea ice model (CICE), the active ice component of the Community Climate System Model, we investigate the implications of an increased precipitation on arctic sea ice. We document the effect of these changes in varied ice conditions, representing both extensive ice state and the currently degraded ice pack.