Climate change in the western part of the Russian Arctic in 1980–2021. Part 2. Soil temperature, snow, humidity

Abstract

Based on average monthly data from the re-analysis of NASA MERRA-2 satellite measurements, the paper explores climatic changes in the temperature of the upper 1.5 meters of soil (TS), the thickness and area of the snow cover (SC), the moisture content of the top layer of soil 1 meter thick (SM) and air humidity at a height of 2 meters from the surface (AH) in the western part of the Russian Arctic (60°–75° N, 30°–85° E) for 1980–2021. The time interval considered is divided into two periods: 1980–2000 and 2001–2021. The differences between the average values of the parameters studied for these periods are calculated. The climatic changes that have occurred for the winter and summer seasons, as well as for each month of the year, are considered separately. Calculation of linear and quadratic trends has revealed an accelerating growth in the TS of the region studied in the period 2001–2021. A decrease in the thickness of the SC and a significant reduction in the area of the SC in November and April are shown. An increase in SM was found in the southwest and east of the region studied in the period 2001–2021, and a significant increase in AH in the western part of the Russian Arctic over the time interval studied is shown. Moreover, the growth of AH over the waters of the Barents, Kara and White Seas significantly accelerated in 2001–2021 compared to 1980–2000.