Past perspectives on the present era of abrupt Arctic climate change

Eystein Jansen (), Jens Hesselbjerg Christensen, Trond Dokken, Kerim H. Nisancioglu, Bo M. Vinther, Emilie Capron, Chuncheng Guo, Mari F. Jensen, Peter L. Langen, Rasmus A. Pedersen, Shuting Yang, Mats Bentsen, Helle A. Kjær, Henrik Sadatzki, Evangeline Sessford and Martin Stendel
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Eystein Jansen: University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Jens Hesselbjerg Christensen: Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Trond Dokken: Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Kerim H. Nisancioglu: University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Bo M. Vinther: University of Copenhagen
Emilie Capron: University of Copenhagen
Chuncheng Guo: Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Mari F. Jensen: University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Peter L. Langen: Danish Meteorological Institute
Rasmus A. Pedersen: Danish Meteorological Institute
Shuting Yang: Danish Meteorological Institute
Mats Bentsen: Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Helle A. Kjær: University of Copenhagen
Henrik Sadatzki: University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Evangeline Sessford: University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Martin Stendel: Danish Meteorological Institute

Nature Climate Change, 2020, vol. 10, issue 8, 714-721

Abstract: Abstract Abrupt climate change is a striking feature of many climate records, particularly the warming events in Greenland ice cores. These abrupt and high-amplitude events were tightly coupled to rapid sea-ice retreat in the North Atlantic and Nordic Seas, and observational evidence shows they had global repercussions. In the present-day Arctic, sea-ice loss is also key to ongoing warming. This Perspective uses observations and climate models to place contemporary Arctic change into the context of past abrupt Greenland warmings. We find that warming rates similar to or higher than modern trends have only occurred during past abrupt glacial episodes. We argue that the Arctic is currently experiencing an abrupt climate change event, and that climate models underestimate this ongoing warming.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0860-7

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