Achievement

Tom Ballinger studies polar climate variability and change with an emphasis on the factors causing regional Arctic sea ice decline and the impacts of these observed losses. During this past year he concluded work on a paper examining polar marine climates via global climate reanalyses (which is currently in press with Journal of Climate). His research on western Arctic sea ice-climate interactions (around the boreal minimum in September) has resulted in three manuscripts that are nearly completed (either in review or in preparation): 1) a synoptic climatological study of sea level pressure patterns over the region and its relationships to September sea ice extent, 2) a statistical study involving teleconnections and September sea ice extent, and 3) a literature review on the causal mechanisms and impacts of western Arctic sea ice melt. His dissertation research bridges these topics and examines the effects of sea ice losses on Arctic and sub-Arctic climate over North America.