Author(s): Jia Wang
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Seasonal and interannual variability o f lake ice cover in the Great Lakes is invest igated using historical and satellite measurements for the period 1962-2008. After climatology of the seasonal cycle is derived for lake ice season, large anomalous interannual variability is found in response to atmospheric teleconnect ion patterns. Nevertheless, spatial variability of ice cover in the five Great Lakes shows regional differences and characteristics. A principal- component or EOF (empirical orthogonal function) analys is is applied to lake ice anomalies to derive major spatial and temporal patterns, which can be explained by major atmospheric variability contro lled by well-known climate patterns: Arct ic Oscillation (AO) and ENSO (El Nino and Southern Oscillat ion). Thus, a normalized ice anomaly index is der ived by combined five Great Lakes ice normalized by its individual standard deviat ion, which can be used to be regressed atmospheric forcing field. Lake ice reduction rate over the last three decades in each lake is est imated. Dynamic mechanisms controlling lake ice temporal and spatial variability are invest igated in the context of regional climate changes.
Year: 2010