Preprints
    
    
                
                    
            
            https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-51
                    © Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under 
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
                the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-51
                    © Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under 
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
                the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
            Status: this preprint was under review for the journal TC but the revision was not accepted.
        
    
    Brief communication: Changing mid-twentieth century Antarctic sea ice variability linked to tropical forcing
Abstract. Satellite observations demonstrate Antarctic sea ice extent increased between late-1978 and 2015, with significant spatial and seasonal variability. Late spring retreat off George V Land is a major component of the observed increase, but the paucity of proxy records makes interpretation of trends (and impacts) challenging. Here Earth-system modelling and reanalysis demonstrate tropical Pacific warming can trigger an atmospheric Rossby wave response during the austral spring, delaying sea-ice retreat off George V Land. Our results provide new insights into the spatial and temporal role low latitudes play in Antarctic sea-ice production, drift and ocean circulation on decadal to centennial timescales.
                        How to cite.  Turney, C. S. ~M., Klekociuk, A., Fogwill, C. J., Zunz, V., Goosse, H., Parkinson, C. L., Compo, G., Lazzara, M., Keller, L., Allan, R., Palmer, J. G., Clark, G., and Marzinelli, E.: Brief communication: Changing mid-twentieth century Antarctic sea ice variability linked to tropical forcing, The Cryosphere Discuss. [preprint],  https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-51, 2017.
        
            
                Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
            
        
            
                
        
            
                
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             Status: closed
        
        
             Status: closed
        
    
            AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
        
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                SC1:  'Rossby waves and the PSA', Terence O'Kane, 10 May 2017
                
                    
            
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                                AC1:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                                    
                                        
                            
                        
                             
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                                AC1:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
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                RC1:  'Review of Turney et al. 2017', Anonymous Referee #1, 23 May 2017
                
                    
            
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                                AC2:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                            
                        
                             
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                                AC2:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
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                RC2:  'Referee comments to the paper: Brief communication: Changing mid-twentieth century Antarctic sea ice variability linked to tropical forcing', Anonymous Referee #2, 30 May 2017
                
                    
            
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                                AC3:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                            
                        
                             
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                                AC3:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
 
             Status: closed
        
        
             Status: closed
        
    
            AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
        
    - 
                SC1:  'Rossby waves and the PSA', Terence O'Kane, 10 May 2017
                
                    
            
                    - 
                                
                                AC1:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                                    
                                        
                            
                        
                             
 - 
                                
                                AC1:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
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                RC1:  'Review of Turney et al. 2017', Anonymous Referee #1, 23 May 2017
                
                    
            
                    - 
                                
                                AC2:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                            
                        
                             
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                                AC2:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
 - 
                RC2:  'Referee comments to the paper: Brief communication: Changing mid-twentieth century Antarctic sea ice variability linked to tropical forcing', Anonymous Referee #2, 30 May 2017
                
                    
            
                    - 
                                
                                AC3:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
                            
                        
                             
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                                AC3:  'Reply to review', Christian Turney, 19 Jul 2017
                                
                                    
 
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                                Cited
2 citations as recorded by crossref.
Latest update: 04 Nov 2025
    Chris S.~M. Turney
                                        Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Palaeontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                Andrew Klekociuk
                                        Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston 7050, Tasmania, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania  7001
                                    
                                Christopher J. Fogwill
                                        Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Palaeontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                Violette Zunz
                                        Earth System Science and Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium
                                    
                                Hugues Goosse
                                        Université catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Place Pasteur, 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
                                    
                                Claire L. Parkinson
                                        Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory/Code 615, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
                                    
                                Gilbert Compo
                                        Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
                                    
                                
                                        Physical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, CO 80305, USA
                                    
                                Matthew Lazzara
                                        Meteorologist at the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
                                    
                                
                                        Department of Physical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Madison Area Technical College, Madison, WI, USA
                                    
                                Linda Keller
                                        Meteorologist at the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
                                    
                                Rob Allan
                                        Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, UK
                                    
                                Jonathan G. Palmer
                                        Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Palaeontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                Graeme Clark
                                        Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                Ezequiel Marzinelli
                                        Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia
                                    
                                
                                        Centre for Bio-Innovation Science, School of Biological, Earth and  Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
                                    
                                Short summary
            We demonstrate that a mid-twentieth century decrease in geopotential height in the southwest Pacific marks a Rossby wave response to equatorial Pacific warming, leading to enhanced easterly airflow off George V Land. Our results suggest that in contrast to ozone hole-driven changes in the Amundsen Sea, the 1979–2015 increase in sea ice extent off George V Land may be in response to reduced northward Ekman drift and enhanced (near-coast) production as a consequence of low latitude forcing.
            We demonstrate that a mid-twentieth century decrease in geopotential height in the southwest...