Brief communication: The anomalous winter 2019 sea-ice conditions in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Greg H. Leonard; Kate E. Turner; Maren E. Richter; Maddy S. Whittaker; Inga J. Smith

doi:10.5194/tc-15-4999-2021

Brief communication: The anomalous winter 2019 sea-ice conditions in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Greg H. Leonard (Lead Author), Kate E. Turner, Maren E. Richter, Maddy S. Whittaker, Inga J. Smith

School of Environmental Sciences

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Abstract

McMurdo Sound sea ice can generally be partitioned into two regimes: (1) a stable fast-ice cover, forming south of approximately 77.6∘ S around March–April and then breaking out the following January–February, and (2) a more dynamic region north of 77.6∘ S that the McMurdo Sound and Ross Sea polynyas regularly impact. In 2019, a stable fast-ice cover formed unusually late due to repeated break-out events. We analyse the 2019 sea-ice conditions and relate them to a modified storm index (MSI), a proxy for southerly wind events. We find there is a strong correlation between the timing of break-out events and several unusually large MSI events.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4999–5006
Number of pages	8
Journal	The Cryosphere
Volume	15
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4999-2021
Publication status	Published - 29 Oct 2021

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Cite this

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title = "Brief communication: The anomalous winter 2019 sea-ice conditions in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica",

abstract = "McMurdo Sound sea ice can generally be partitioned into two regimes: (1) a stable fast-ice cover, forming south of approximately 77.6∘ S around March–April and then breaking out the following January–February, and (2) a more dynamic region north of 77.6∘ S that the McMurdo Sound and Ross Sea polynyas regularly impact. In 2019, a stable fast-ice cover formed unusually late due to repeated break-out events. We analyse the 2019 sea-ice conditions and relate them to a modified storm index (MSI), a proxy for southerly wind events. We find there is a strong correlation between the timing of break-out events and several unusually large MSI events.",

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T1 - Brief communication: The anomalous winter 2019 sea-ice conditions in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

AU - Leonard, Greg H.

AU - Turner, Kate E.

AU - Richter, Maren E.

AU - Whittaker, Maddy S.

AU - Smith, Inga J.

PY - 2021/10/29

Y1 - 2021/10/29

N2 - McMurdo Sound sea ice can generally be partitioned into two regimes: (1) a stable fast-ice cover, forming south of approximately 77.6∘ S around March–April and then breaking out the following January–February, and (2) a more dynamic region north of 77.6∘ S that the McMurdo Sound and Ross Sea polynyas regularly impact. In 2019, a stable fast-ice cover formed unusually late due to repeated break-out events. We analyse the 2019 sea-ice conditions and relate them to a modified storm index (MSI), a proxy for southerly wind events. We find there is a strong correlation between the timing of break-out events and several unusually large MSI events.

AB - McMurdo Sound sea ice can generally be partitioned into two regimes: (1) a stable fast-ice cover, forming south of approximately 77.6∘ S around March–April and then breaking out the following January–February, and (2) a more dynamic region north of 77.6∘ S that the McMurdo Sound and Ross Sea polynyas regularly impact. In 2019, a stable fast-ice cover formed unusually late due to repeated break-out events. We analyse the 2019 sea-ice conditions and relate them to a modified storm index (MSI), a proxy for southerly wind events. We find there is a strong correlation between the timing of break-out events and several unusually large MSI events.

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