Interdecadal Variability of Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation in the Atlantic-European Sector Conditioning Surface Temperature Anomalies in the Black, Barents and Norwegian Seas

A. A. Sizov, T. M. Bayankina✉, V. L. Pososhkov, A. V. Yurovskiy

Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: bayankina_t@mail.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The study is aimed at analyzing and assessing the interdecadal variability of winter hydrometeorological fields in the Atlantic-European sector during different phases of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations indices.

Methods and Results. The structure of positive (negative) anomalies of the geopotential height was analyzed based on the composite maps of geopotential height anomalies at levels H1000 and H50, the North Atlantic Oscillation index was scrutinized using the data from the Climate Prediction Center archives, the sea surface temperature anomalies were surveyed applying the information from the Japan Oceanographic Data Center. The researches covered two periods: a decade of negative and a decade of positive values of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations indices. During a decade of positive values of these indices, the Azores anticyclone and the Icelandic cyclone are intensified, while the Siberian anticyclone weakens. And, on the contrary, during a decade of negative values, the Siberian anticyclone strengthens, while the Azores anticyclone and the Icelandic cyclone wane. Atmospheric circulation in the Atlantic-European sector (the Western Europe subregion) is formed being affected by the Atlantic air masses, and in the Eastern Europe subregion – by the Azores anticyclone and the Siberian anticyclone spur. During a decade of positive phase of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, the Black Sea surface temperature decreases and becomes lower than the climatic, whereas that of the Barents and Norwegian seas – higher. During a decade of negative phase of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, the surface temperature of the Black Sea becomes higher, and that of the Barents and Norwegian seas – lower.

Conclusions. During different phases of the Arctic Oscillation, interdecadal variability in the polar vortex intensity affects the redistribution of atmospheric mass between the center of a polar vortex and its boundaries. The consequence of this phenomenon consists in strengthening (weakening) of the Azores, Siberian and Icelandic centers of atmospheric action as well as formation of the interdecadal variability of atmospheric circulation in the Atlantic-European sector. As a result, the pressure structures conditioning the anomalies in surface air and sea surface temperatures with opposite signs are formed in the subregions of the Atlantic-European sector.

Keywords

North Atlantic, hydrometeorological parameters, Black Sea, Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, temperature anomaly, geopotential, North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, interdecadal variability

Acknowledgements

The work was carried out within the framework of state assignment on theme FNNN-2024-0014 “Fundamental research of interaction processes in the ocean-atmosphere system which form variability of physical state of marine environment on different spatial-temporal scales”. The authors are grateful to E. I. Dyachkina for her assistance in selecting scientific literature.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © A. A. Sizov, T. M. Bayankina, V. L. Pososhkov, A. V. Yurovskiy, 2024, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 40, Iss. 1, pp. 21–36 (2024)

For citation

Sizov, A.A., Bayankina, T.M., Pososhkov, V.L. and Yurovskiy, A.V., 2024. Interdecadal Variability of Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation in the Atlantic-European Sector Conditioning Surface Temperature Anomalies in the Black, Barents and Norwegian Seas. Physical Oceanography, 31(1), pp. 18-32.

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