The IPWP as a capacitor for autumn sea ice loss in Northeastern Canada

The Indo-Pacific Warm Pool (IPWP) has been warming due largely to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, but its impact on Arctic sea ice remains unclear. Our study finds a significant negative correlation between the IPWP index and sea ice concentration in northeastern Canada during boreal autumn (October–December). Our results suggest that IPWP warming statistically accounts for 45% of sea ice loss observed in this region. We introduce the “Arctic capacitor effect of the IPWP”, a novel concept that expounds upon the distant connection between greenhouse gas emissions and Arctic sea ice loss. Specifically, as greenhouse gases elevate temperatures in the IPWP, increasing temperature gradient and tropical convection, a planetary wavetrain is initiated. This wavetrain, along with transit eddy feedback, traverses towards the Arctic and thereby influences the strength of the Arctic vortex and its associated effects on Arctic sea ice. Our findings highlight the crucial role of tropical oceans in the broader context of global climate change, emphasizing the necessity of accounting for their impact on polar climate.

Lejiang Yu, Shiyuan Zhong, Timo Vihma, Shuoyi Ding, Cuijuan Sui, Bo Sun