Baffin Bay sea ice extent and synoptic moisture transport drive water vapor isotope (δ18O, δ2H, and deuterium excess) variability in coastal northwest Greenland

Akers, Pete D.; Kopec, Ben G.; Mattingly, Kyle S.; Klein, Eric S.; Causey, Douglas; Welker, Jeffrey M.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020

Articles | Volume 20, issue 22

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 20, issue 22

Research article

|

19 Nov 2020

Research article |

| 19 Nov 2020

Baffin Bay sea ice extent and synoptic moisture transport drive water vapor isotope (δ¹⁸O, δ²H, and deuterium excess) variability in coastal northwest Greenland

Pete D. Akers, Ben G. Kopec, Kyle S. Mattingly, Eric S. Klein, Douglas Causey, and Jeffrey M. Welker

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020-supplement

Data sets

Thule, Greenland, 10 minute water vapor isotopes (δ18O, δD, d-excess), August 2017 - August 2019 P. D. Akers, J. M. Welker, and B. G. Kopec https://doi.org/10.18739/A21J9779S

Ground meteorological data (T, P, RH) obtained during the YOPP SOP in early 2018 at Thule Air Base, Greenland, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Roma, Italy G. Muscari https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.895059

Thule, Greenland, 10 minute water vapor isotopes (18O, D, dexcess), August 2017–August 2019 P. D. Akers, J. M. Welker, and B. G. Kopec https://doi.org/10.18739/A21J9779S

Download

Article (13859 KB)
Full-text XML

Short summary

Water vapor isotopes recorded for 2 years in coastal northern Greenland largely reflect changes in sea ice cover, with distinct values when Baffin Bay is ice covered in winter vs. open in summer. Resulting changes in moisture transport, surface winds, and air temperature also modify the isotopes. Local glacial ice may thus preserve past changes in the Baffin Bay sea ice extent, and this will help us better understand how the Arctic environment and water cycle responds to global climate change.