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Abstract

The early response of the atmosphere–ocean system to meltwater runoff originating from the Greenland ice sheet is studied using a coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (AOGCM). For this purpose, AOGCM ensemble simulations without and with associated ocean freshening around Greenland are compared. For freshwater perturbations initiated in northern winter, the mean response for the first three months shows the emergence of negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Denmark Strait, in association with enhanced oceanic advection by the East Greenland Current. The response also shows negative SST anomalies in the North Atlantic associated with enhanced westerlies at the ocean surface. Additionally, the baroclinic atmospheric cyclonic circulation east of Greenland intensifies, and anticyclonic circulations with equivalent barotropic structures develop over western Europe and the North Pacific Ocean. Simulations by the atmospheric component of the AOGCM indicate that atmosphere–ocean interactions contribute significantly to enhance the response. The sensitivity of the coupled system response to the timing of freshwater perturbation is also studied. For freshwater perturbations initialized in northern summer, the response during the following winter is similar, but stronger in magnitude. In the Northern Hemisphere, the atmospheric response resembles the Arctic Oscillation (AO) mode of variability. The association between anomalies in the Denmark Strait SSTs and in the atmosphere east of Greenland is consistent with that observed during previous great salinity anomaly (GSA) events. The results obtained highlight the importance of atmosphere–ocean interaction in the early climate response to Greenland melting, the teleconnections with the North Pacific and the contribution of GSA events to North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) variability.