The Early Collapse of the 2017 Lincoln Sea Ice Arch in Response to Anomalous Sea Ice and Wind Forcing

One of the most dramatic indicators of climate change is the reduction in the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice that has resulted in an increase in wind-driven sea ice mobility. During April and May 2017, satellite observations indicated that the ice arch that forms between Nares Strait and the Lincoln Sea collapsed. Typically, this collapse occurs in July or August allowing multiyear ice to exit the Arctic through Nares Strait. Here we show that the period of the collapse was associated with the presence of a polynya in northern Nares Strait, thin ice in the Lincoln Sea, and an unusual wind regime characterized by strong northerly flow. We propose that these anomalous conditions resulted in the arch's early collapse. If the ice in the region continues to thin, early collapses may occur more frequently with implications for the regional as well as the downstream climate and ecosystems.