Assessment of the Seasonal and Multiyear Variability in the Sea Ice Volume Export via the Fram Strait

This paper presents an assessment of the seasonal and interannual variability of the ice volume and ice age exported through the Fram Strait for the winter months of 1979-2021. Two methods for determining the ice volume exported via the strait site are compared: the isobaric drift model and sea ice motion data obtained from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC); each method differs in the way the component of its drift velocity is considered. The ice volume exported along the Fram Strait has a clearly defined seasonal cycle, with a maximum in March-April and a minimum in October. The average total value of ice exported is 2,721 km3 according to the NSIDC data and 2,945 km3 according to the isobaric drift model. The year-to-year assessments of the volume of ice exported do not show a significant trend, contrary to other studies. A peak in ice volume export in late winter corresponds to the maximum of ice thickness.