Researchers:Vladimir Alexeev and Jessica Cherry
Funding Source: NSF CA
Collaborators: Maria Tsukernik (NCAR), O. Byrkjedal, Wind Teknikk (Oslo, Norway, formerly at Bergen University)
The goal of this project is to quantifiy the atmospheric contribution to the water cycle in Siberia.
Changing large-scale circulation and surface conditions in the warming Arctic (disappearing sea ice cover, thawing permafrost, changes in hydrology) changes the energetics of interaction between the atmosphere and the surface. Cyclones bring a significant portion of energy to the Arctic, especially in the winter. Summer cyclones, especially over land, mostly contribute to recycling of precipitation. By looking at the cyclone statistic and its changes, we would like to document and evaluate changes in the water cycle in Siberia with possible implication for the hydrology of the great Siberian rivers.
Changes in the cyclone statistics and their properties will be quantified using different cyclone tracking methods with reanalysis products. Those changes will be linked to changes in observed parameters (e.g., precipitation, clouds) with a goal of providing input to a study of interaction of changes in permafrost and hydrology of great Siberian rivers.
Components of the arctic climate system are strongly coupled to each other. Therefore, understanding one component always needs to be done within a coupled context. Changes in the atmospheric circulation will necessarily have an impact on the surface conditions (land, ocean, ice). The latter will influence the atmospheric circulation again. Variations of the arctic climate cannot be understood by looking at just one component or excluding the Arctic from the global climate system.