Seasonal and interannual variations in the propagation of photosynthetically available radiation through the Arctic atmosphere

Abstract

The Arctic atmosphere–surface system transmits visible light from the Sun to the ocean, determining the annual cycle of light available to microalgae. This light is referred to as photosynthetically available radiation (PAR). A known consequence of Arctic warming is the change at the atmosphere–ocean interface (longer ice-free season, younger ice), implying an increase in the percentage of PAR being transferred to the water. However, much less is known about the recent changes in how much PAR is being transferred by the overlaying atmosphere. We studied the transfer of PAR through the atmosphere between May 21 and July 23 at a pan-Arctic scale for the period ranging from 2000 to 2016. By combining a large data set of atmospheric and surface conditions into a radiative transfer model, we computed the percentage of PAR transferred to the surface. We found that typical Arctic atmospheres convey between 60% and 70% of the incident PAR received from the Sun, meaning the Arctic atmosphere typically transmits more light than most sea ice surfaces, with the exception of mature melt ponds. We also found that the transfer of PAR through the atmosphere decreased at a rate of 2.3% per decade over the studied period, due to the increase in cloudiness and the weaker radiative interaction between the atmosphere and the surface. Further investigation is required to address how, in the warmer Arctic climate, this negative trend would compensate for the increased surface transmittance and its consequences on marine productivity.