Model-data synthesis and high resolution simulation of the Bering Sea

Abstract

The Bering Sea is the source of over 50% of the total US fish catch and the home to immense populations of birds and marine mammals. This extraordinarily productive ecosystem is vulnerable to climate regime shifts that have occurred over the past decades. These regime shifts are closely linked to warming and cooling of the atmosphere and ocean, and the coincident retreat or expansion of the sea ice cover with strong interannual and decadal variability. Here we investigate changes in the Bering ice/ocean system in recent years. One of key tools for this investigation is the Bering Ecosystem STudy ice-ocean Modeling and Assimilation System (BESTMAS) for synthesis and modeling of the Bering ice/ocean system.