Changes in Arctic Freshwater System: Observations, Processes and Impacts

Co-organized by CR3

Convener: Carsten Bjerre LudwigsenECSECS | Co-conveners: Roshin Pappukutty Raj, Andreas Dobler, Stephen Howell, Gabriele Dr. Schwaizer

Freshwater content in the Arctic Ocean is changing due to sea and land ice loss, shifts in river discharge, and changes in snow and precipitation–evaporation patterns. These changes affect ocean circulation, sea ice, and ecosystems in the Arctic. They also have major implications for the Northern Hemisphere climate, making Arctic freshwater a critical factor in projecting future climate.
In this session, we invite studies that investigate sources of freshwater change and their impacts on both the Arctic and the wider world. We welcome research based on observations, reanalysis, and modeling, including work on ice melt, river discharge, snow and SWE, sea ice, precipitation–evaporation, and ocean transport. Contributions using new data products from in-situ or satellite/remote-sensing observations, or digital twins that enhance our understanding of Arctic freshwater change, are especially encouraged.
We are also interested in work that links freshwater change to ocean dynamics and climate feedbacks, including case studies from the Southern Hemisphere.