Enhanced wintertime greenhouse effect reinforcing Arctic amplification and initial sea-ice melting

The speeds of both Arctic surface warming and sea-ice shrinking have accelerated over recent decades. However, the causes of this unprecedented phenomenon remain unclear and are subjects of considerable debate. In this study, we report strong observational evidence, for the first time from long-term (1984–2014) spatially complete satellite records, that increased cloudiness and atmospheric water vapor in winter and spring have caused an extraordinary downward longwave radiative flux to the ice surface, which may then amplify the Arctic wintertime ice-surface warming. In addition, we also provide observed evidence that it is quite likely the enhancement of the wintertime greenhouse effect caused by water vapor and cloudiness has advanced the time of onset of ice melting in mid-May through inhibiting sea-ice refreezing in the winter and accelerating the pre-melting process in the spring, and in turn triggered the positive sea-ice albedo feedback process and accelerated the sea ice melting in the summer.

• Publication year

  2017

• Venue

  Scientific Reports

• Publication date

  2017-08-16

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Physics, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1038/s41598-017-08545-2PMID 28814806PMCID 5559487
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Atmospheric circulation patterns which promote winter Arctic sea ice decline

  2017cited by this paper
• The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2).

  2017cited by this paper
• The Role of Springtime Arctic Clouds in Determining Autumn Sea Ice Extent

  2016cited by this paper
• The Role of Moist Intrusions in Winter Arctic Warming and Sea Ice Decline

  2016cited by this paper
• Arctic amplification enhanced by latent energy transport of atmospheric planetary waves

  2016cited by this paper
• On Anomalous Ocean Heat Transport toward the Arctic and Associated Climate Predictability

  2016cited by this paper
• The Arctic is becoming warmer and wetter as revealed by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

  2015cited by this paper
• The Impact of Poleward Moisture and Sensible Heat Flux on Arctic Winter Sea Ice Variability

  2015cited by this paper
• The Impact of Arctic Winter Infrared Radiation on Early Summer Sea Ice

  2015cited by this paper
• A Quantitative Definition of Global Warming Hiatus and 50-Year Prediction of Global-Mean Surface Temperature*

  2015cited by this paper
• The validation of the GEWEX SRB surface longwave flux data products using BSRN measurements

  2015cited by this paper
• Mechanisms for low-frequency variability of summer Arctic sea ice extent

  2015cited by this paper
• The JRA-55 Reanalysis: General Specifications and Basic Characteristics

  2015cited by this paper
• Comparing and contrasting the behaviour of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice over the 35 year period 1979-2013

  2015cited by this paper
• Land surface temperature retrieval over circumpolar Arctic using SSM/I-SSMIS and MODIS data

  2015cited by this paper
• Assessment of Sea Ice Albedo Radiative Forcing and Feedback over the Northern Hemisphere from 1982 to 2009 Using Satellite and Reanalysis Data

  2015cited by this paper
• Has there been a hiatus?

  2015cited by this paper
• Will Arctic sea ice thickness initialization improve seasonal forecast skill?

  2014cited by this paper
• Atlantic current strength declines

  2014cited by this paper
• Evaluation of Seven Different Atmospheric Reanalysis Products in the Arctic

  2014cited by this paper
• Recent Arctic amplification and extreme mid-latitude weather

  2014cited by this paper
• September Arctic sea-ice minimum predicted by spring melt-pond fraction

  2014cited by this paper
• Critical mechanisms for the formation of extreme arctic sea-ice extent in the summers of 2007 and 1996

  2014cited by this paper
• Polar Amplification in CCSM4: Contributions from the Lapse Rate and Surface Albedo Feedbacks

  2014cited by this paper
• Changes in Arctic melt season and implications for sea ice loss

  2014cited by this paper
• Arctic amplification dominated by temperature feedbacks in contemporary climate models

  2014cited by this paper
• Less winter cloud aids summer 2013 Arctic sea ice return from 2012 minimum

  2014cited by this paper
• What are the physical links between Arctic sea ice loss and Eurasian winter climate?

  2014cited by this paper
• Global atmospheric downward longwave radiation at the surface from ground‐based observations, satellite retrievals, and reanalyses

  2013cited by this paper
• A Decomposition of Feedback Contributions to Polar Warming Amplification

  2013cited by this paper
• CLARA-A1: the CM SAF cloud, albedo and radiation dataset from 28 yr of global AVHRR data

  2013cited by this paper
• Springtime atmospheric energy transport and the control of Arctic summer sea-ice extent

  2013cited by this paper
• Large‐scale circulation associated with moisture intrusions into the Arctic during winter

  2013cited by this paper
• THE ROLE OF THE BARENTS SEA IN THE ARCTIC CLIMATE SYSTEM

  2013cited by this paper
• Implications for Arctic amplification of changes in the strength of the water vapor feedback

  2013cited by this paper
• Recent global-warming hiatus tied to equatorial Pacific surface cooling

  2013cited by this paper
• EASE-Grid 2.0: Incremental but Significant Improvements for Earth-Gridded Data Sets

  2012cited by this paper
• Local and remote controls on observed Arctic warming

  2012cited by this paper
• Using satellites to investigate the sensitivity of longwave downward radiation to water vapor at high elevations

  2012cited by this paper
• Validation of atmospheric reanalyses over the central Arctic Ocean

  2012cited by this paper
• Radiative forcing and albedo feedback from the Northern Hemisphere cryosphere between 1979 and 2008

  2011cited by this paper
• Improvements of top-of-atmosphere and surface irradiance computations with CALIPSO-, CloudSat-, and MODIS-derived cloud and aerosol properties

  2011cited by this paper
• Enhanced Modern Heat Transfer to the Arctic by Warm Atlantic Water

  2011cited by this paper
• Spatial Patterns of Modeled Climate Feedback and Contributions to Temperature Response and Polar Amplification

  2011cited by this paper
• The ERA‐Interim reanalysis: configuration and performance of the data assimilation system

  2011cited by this paper
• MERRA: NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications

  2011cited by this paper
• Arctic winter warming amplified by the thermal inversion and consequent low infrared cooling to space

  2011cited by this paper
• Warm winds from the Pacific caused extensive Arctic sea-ice melt in summer 2007

  2011cited by this paper
• Quantifying contributions to polar warming amplification in an idealized coupled general circulation model

  2010cited by this paper
• The central role of diminishing sea ice in recent Arctic temperature amplification

  2010cited by this paper
• The NCeP ClimaTe ForeCasT sysTem reaNalysis

  2010cited by this paper
• Recent changes in Arctic sea ice melt onset, freezeup, and melt season length

  2009cited by this paper
• Polar amplification in a coupled climate model with locked albedo

  2009cited by this paper
• Vertical structure of recent Arctic warming

  2008cited by this paper
• Accelerated decline in the Arctic sea ice cover

  2008cited by this paper
• Recent Changes in Downward Longwave Radiation at King Sejong Station, Antarctica

  2008cited by this paper
• Observed relationship between surface specific humidity, integrated water vapor, and longwave downward radiation at different altitudes

  2007cited by this paper
• NASA's Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA)

  2006cited by this paper
• Slowing of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 25 degrees N.

  2005cited by this paper
• Slowing of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 25° N

  2005cited by this paper
• The role of surface albedo feedback in climate

  2004cited by this paper
• Non-negative Matrix Factorization with Sparseness Constraints

  2004cited by this paper
• Learning the parts of objects by non-negative matrix factorization

  1999cited by this paper
• Advances in understanding clouds from ISCCP

  1999influential reference
• A fast non‐negativity‐constrained least squares algorithm

  1997cited by this paper
• Glacial cycles and ice-sheet modelling

  1982cited by this paper

• Regional differences of surface energy budgets in permafrost regions: a comparative observational study of the circum-Arctic and Qinghai-Tibet plateau

  2025cites this paper
• New glacier thickness and bed topography maps for Svalbard

  2025cites this paper
• Slowdown of wintertime Arctic amplification since 2012

  2025cites this paper
• Temporal glacier velocity variations and their controlling factors in the Nathorstbreen glacier system, Svalbard

  2025cites this paper
• Collaborative Optimization of Cloud–Edge–Terminal Distribution Networks Combined with Intelligent Integration Under the New Energy Situation

  2025cites this paper
• Green Recommender Systems: Understanding and Minimizing the Carbon Footprint of AI-Powered Personalization

  2025cites this paper
• Amplification of warming of high-latitude climate in the Northern and Southern hemispheres in 1956–2023

  2025cites this paper
• SICNetseason V1.0: a transformer-based deep learning model for seasonal Arctic sea ice prediction by incorporating sea ice thickness data

  2025cites this paper
• Seasonal shifts in pan-Arctic Ocean downward radiation and key drivers

  2025cites this paper
• Monitoring climate change in the marine Arctic

  2024cites this paper
• Role of the Antarctic Circumpolar Circulation in Current Asymmetric Arctic and Antarctic Warming

  2024influential citation
• The influence of landfast ice on the navigation in the Arctic Northeast Passage

  2024cites this paper
• Mechanism for compound daytime-nighttime heatwaves in the Barents–Kara Sea during the boreal autumn and their relationship with sea ice variability

  2024cites this paper
• A robust stepwise jump in the Arctic wintertime warming in 2005 coherent with the increased clear-sky downward longwave radiation flux

  2024cites this paper
• Arctic Amplification: InterlatitudinaI Exchange Role in the Atmosphere

  2023cites this paper
• Regional and Remote Influence on the Sea Ice in the Kara Sea

  2023cites this paper
• A daily 5-km all-sky sea-surface longwave radiation product based on statistically modified deep neural network and spatiotemporal analysis for 1981–2018

  2023cites this paper
• Ultrafast Arctic amplification and its governing mechanisms

  2023cites this paper
• A Janus membrane doped with carbon nanotubes for wet–thermal management

  2023cites this paper
• Arctic climate warming: discrepancies between global climate models and observations and possible causes

  2023cites this paper
• Estimating the Clear-Sky Longwave Downward Radiation in the Arctic from FengYun-3D MERSI-2 Data

  2022cites this paper
• Trans-Arctic shipping routes expanding faster than the model projections

  2022cites this paper
• The Influence of Extratropical Weather Regimes on Wintertime Temperature Variations in the Arctic during 1979–2019

  2022cites this paper
• Exploring the effect of Arctic perennial sea ice on modulation of local air temperature

  2022cites this paper
• Arctic Climate Feedbacks in ERA5 Reanalysis: Seasonal and Spatial Variations and the Impact of Sea‐Ice Loss

  2022cites this paper
• Nuclear Reprocessing Tracers Illuminate Flow Features and Connectivity Between the Arctic and Subpolar North Atlantic Oceans.

  2022cites this paper
• Influence of SST in Low Latitudes on the Arctic Warming and Sea Ice

  2021cites this paper
• Atmospheric trends over the Arctic Ocean in simulations from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) and their driving GCMs

  2021cites this paper
• A ship navigation information service system for the Arctic Northeast Passage using 3D GIS based on big Earth data

  2021cites this paper
• Arctic Winter Temperature Variations Correlated With ENSO Are Dependent on Coincidental Sea Ice Changes

  2021cites this paper
• Warming amplification over the Arctic Pole and Third Pole: Trends, mechanisms and consequences

  2021cites this paper
• Analyzing the effects of sea ice melting and atmospheric heat transport on the warming around arctic based on comparable analysis and coupling modes

  2021cites this paper
• Local and Remote Atmospheric Circulation Drivers of Arctic Change: A Review

  2021cites this paper
• A Regional Seasonal Forecast Model of Arctic Minimum Sea Ice Extent: Reflected Solar Radiation vs. Late Winter Coastal Divergence

  2021cites this paper
• Ice multiplication from ice–ice collisions in the high Arctic: sensitivity to ice habit, rimed fraction, ice type and uncertainties in the numerical description of the process

  2021cites this paper
• Arctic sea ice melt onset favored by an atmospheric pressure pattern reminiscent of the North American-Eurasian Arctic pattern

  2021cites this paper
• Accelerating future mass loss of Svalbard glaciers from a multi-model ensemble

  2021cites this paper
• Ice multiplication from ice-ice collisions in the high Arctic: sensitivity to ice habit, rimed fraction and the spectral representation of the colliding particles

  2020cites this paper
• Wind amplifies the polar sea ice retreat

  2020cites this paper
• The Impact of Changes in Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures over 1979–2012 on Northern Hemisphere High-Latitude Climate

  2020cites this paper
• Horizontal Moisture Transport Dominates the Regional Moistening Patterns in the Arctic

  2020cites this paper
• Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice Change: Contrasts, Commonalities, and Causes.

  2019cites this paper
• Arctic Summer Airmass Transformation, Surface Inversions, and the Surface Energy Budget

  2019cites this paper
• Evidence of Strong Contributions From Mixed‐Phase Clouds to Arctic Climate Change

  2019cites this paper
• Remote sensing of earth’s energy budget: synthesis and review

  2019cites this paper
• Modeling of climate tendencies in Arctic seas based on atmospheric forcing EOF decomposition

  2019cites this paper
• Winter Arctic warming and its linkage with midlatitude atmospheric circulation and associated cold extremes: The key role of meridional potential vorticity gradient

  2019cites this paper
• Diversity of metals and metal-interactive bacterial populations in different types of Arctic snow and frost flowers: Implications on snow freeze-melt processes in a changing climate.

  2019cites this paper
• On the Origin of Water Masses in the Beaufort Gyre

  2019cites this paper
• The Spectral Dimension of Arctic Outgoing Longwave Radiation and Greenhouse Efficiency Trends From 2003 to 2016

  2019cites this paper
• Tundren und polare Wüsten

  2019cites this paper
• Atmospheric River Impacts on Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Mass Balance

  2018cites this paper
• Recent advances in driving mechanisms of the Arctic amplification: A review

  2018cites this paper
• Advanced visible-light photocatalytic property of biologically structured carbon/ceria hybrid multilayer membranes prepared by bamboo leaves

  2017cites this paper
• Spring Arctic Atmospheric Preconditioning: Do Not Rule Out Shortwave Radiation Just Yet

  2017cites this paper
• a transformer-based deep learning model

  year unknowncites this paper
• New glacier thickness and bed maps for Svalbard

  year unknowncites this paper
• A new

  year unknowncites this paper
• A new glacier thickness and bed map for Svalbard

  year unknowninfluential citation