The representation of sea salt aerosols and their role in polar climate within CMIP6
15 March 2023


Authors: Rémy Lapere, Jennie L. Thomas, Louis Marelle, Annica M. L. Ekman, Markus M. Frey, Marianne Tronstad Lund, Risto Makkonen, Ananth Ranjithkumar, Matthew E. Salter Bjørn Hallvard Samset, Michael Schulz, Larisa Sogacheva, Xin Yang, Paul Zieger 

 

As sea ice shrinks in the Arctic, sea salt aerosols become more and more relevant for polar climate. A new CRiceS study shows that their representation in global climate models is still highly uncertain and should be improved for better climate projections.


> Read more in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2022JD038235

















Top panels: evolution of annual mean sea salt aerosol (left) and sea ice concentration (right). Bottom panel: evolution of monthly mean sea salt aerosol (orange) and sea ice (blue) concentration above 60°N. 

By 2100, the Arctic could be ice-free in summer months, thus liberating larger quantities of sea salt aerosol from the open ocean under the action of wind. The seasonal amplitude also increases in the future, which can have an important effect on polar climate.


Data from five CMIP6 models in SSP585 scenario. Animation created by R. Lapere.