Effects of sea ice dynamics on the Antarctic sea ice distribution in a coupled ocean atmosphere model

[1] Impact of sea ice dynamics on the Southern Ocean sea ice distribution is investigated using a coupled ocean-sea ice-atmosphere general circulation model (OAGCM) and a separate offline sea ice model driven by monthly mean climatological boundary conditions. Sea ice dynamics considerably affects sea ice distribution of the OAGCM as well as of the offline model. When sea ice dynamics (advection) is turned on, summer ice extent and winter ice thickness decrease in both models. Results of the OAGCM indicate that variation of clouds plays an important role when sea surface energy budget responds to the sea ice dynamics in summer. Surface wind field in summer responds to the sea ice dynamics so that northerly wind anomaly is directed to where sea ice retreats and air temperature is kept higher, leading to a positive feedback. In addition, meridional ocean circulation and upward ocean heat flux to the sea surface appear to be sensitive to the sea ice dynamics, which contributes to the response of winter sea ice thickness. Results obtained in the present study underline the importance of atmosphere-sea ice-ocean interaction when discussing the impact of sea ice dynamics on sea ice distribution.