Speaker

Mary-Louise Timmermans, Ph.D., Damon Wells Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, Yale

Dynamics of the Beaufort Gyre in a Changing Arctic

Abstract

The Beaufort Gyre circulation system is a central part of the Arctic climate undergoing significant change across all environmental parameters. The talk presents two decades (2003-2024) of intensive observations in the Beaufort Gyre to characterize its evolving freshwater and heat content, which are related to wind forcing modulated by the presence of sea ice. Following a period of sustained freshwater and heat accumulation in the first half of the record, freshwater and heat content have been declining in recent years. Trends indicate that prevailing winds are becoming less effective at spinning up the gyre and accumulating freshwater. This shift in wind forcing outweighs the influence of a weakening sea-ice pack, which is becoming less effective at spinning down the gyre. We place these findings within the broader context of Arctic change, which can help inform future projections.