A coupled ice–ocean model for the Greenland, Iceland and Norwegian Seas

Simulations from a coupled ice–ocean model that highlight the importance of synoptic forcing on sea-ice dynamics are described. The ocean model is a non-hydrostatic primitive equation model coupled to a dynamic thermodynamic sea ice model. The ice modelling sensitivity study presented here is part of an ongoing research programme to define the role played by sea ice in the energy balance of the Greenland Sea. The different categories of sea ice found in the subpolar regions are simulated through the use of equations for thin ice, thick ice and the Marginal Ice Zone. A basin scale numerical model of the Greenland, Iceland and Norwegian Seas has a horizontal resolution of 20 km and a vertical grid spacing of 50 m. This resolution is adequate for resolving the mesoscale topographic structures known to control the circulation in this region. The spin-up reproduces the main features of the circulation, including the cyclonic gyres in the Norwegian and Greenland Basins and Iceland Plateau. Topographic steering of the flow is evident. The baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation is between 5 and 10 km so that the model is not eddy-resolving. The coupled ice–ocean model was run for a period of two weeks. The influence of horizontal resolution of the atmospheric model was tested by comparing simulations using six hourly wind fields from the ECMWF with those generated using six hourly fields from a HIRLAM, with horizontal resolutions of 1° and 0.18° respectively. The simulations show reasonable agreement with satellite ice compactness data and data of ice transports across sections at 79°N, 75°N and Denmark Strait.