A key factor initiating surface ablation of Arctic sea ice: earlier and increasing liquid precipitation

Dou, Tingfeng; Xiao, Cunde; Liu, Jiping; Han, Wei; Du, Zhiheng; Mahoney, Andrew R.; Jones, Joshua; Eicken, Hajo

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1233-2019

Articles | Volume 13, issue 4

The Cryosphere, 13, 1233–1246, 2019

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1233-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

The Cryosphere, 13, 1233–1246, 2019

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1233-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 13, issue 4

Research article 15 Apr 2019

Research article | 15 Apr 2019

A key factor initiating surface ablation of Arctic sea ice: earlier and increasing liquid precipitation

Tingfeng Dou et al.

Data sets

Automated ice mass balance site (SIZONET) H. Eicken https://doi.org/10.18739/A2D08X

Short summary

The variability and potential trends of rain-on-snow events over Arctic sea ice and their role in sea-ice losses are poorly understood. This study demonstrates that rain-on-snow events are a critical factor in initiating the onset of surface melt over Arctic sea ice, and onset of spring rainfall over sea ice has shifted to earlier dates since the 1970s, which may have profound impacts on ice melt through feedbacks involving earlier onset of surface melt.