Madison M. Smith, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Hélène Angot, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Emelia J. Chamberlain, University of California at San Diego
Elise S. Droste, University of East Anglia
Salar Karam, University of Gothenburg
Morven Muilwijk, Norwegian Polar Institute
Alison L. Webb, University of Warwick
Stephen D. Archer, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Ivo Beck, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Byron W. Blomquist, University of Colorado Boulder
Jeff Bowman, University of California at San Diego
Matthew Boyer, University of Helsinki
Deborah Bozzato, University of Groningen
Melissa Chierici, Institute of Marine Research
Jessie Creamean, Colorado State University
Alessandra D’Angelo, University of Rhode Island
Bruno Delille, University of Liege
Ilker Fer, University of Bergen
Allison A. Fong, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Agneta Fransson, Norwegian Polar Institute
Niels Fuchs, University of Hamburg
Jessie Gardner, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway
Mats A. Granskog, Norwegian Polar Institute
Clara J.M. Hoppe, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Mario Hoppema, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Mario Hoppmann, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Thomas Mock, University of East Anglia
Sofia Muller, University of Liege
Oliver Müller, University of Bergen
Marcel Nicolaus, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

Abstract

The rapid melt of snow and sea ice during the Arctic summer provides a significant source of low-salinity meltwater to the surface ocean on the local scale. The accumulation of this meltwater on, under, and around sea ice floes can result in relatively thin meltwater layers in the upper ocean. Due to the small-scale nature of these upper-ocean features, typically on the order of 1 m thick or less, they are rarely detected by standard methods, but are nevertheless pervasive and critically important in Arctic summer. Observations during the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition in summer 2020 focused on the evolution of such layers and made significant advancements in understanding their role in the coupled Arctic system. Here we provide a review of thin meltwater layers in the Arctic, with emphasis on the new findings from MOSAiC. Both prior and recent observational datasets indicate an intermittent yet longlasting (weeks to months) meltwater layer in the upper ocean on the order of 0.1 m to 1.0 m in thickness, with a large spatial range. The presence of meltwater layers impacts the physical system by reducing bottom ice melt and allowing new ice formation via false bottom growth. Collectively, the meltwater layer and false bottoms reduce atmosphere-ocean exchanges of momentum, energy, and material.The impacts on the coupled Arctic system are far-reaching, including acting as a barrier for nutrient and gas exchange and impacting ecosystem diversity and productivity.

DOI

10.1525/elementa.2023.00025

Publication Date

2023-09-07

Publication Title

Elementa

Volume

11

Issue

1

Keywords

Air-sea gas exchange, Arctic ecosystem, Arctic sea ice, Atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions, Meltwater, MOSAiC expedition

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