An ice/ocean model for North and Baltic Sea

A coupled ice/ocean model for the region of North Sea and Baltic Sea was developed to carry out realistic hindcast simulations on climatological time scales. By comparing model results and observations, it could be shown that the model is able to reproduce the annual cycle of surface temperature in both marginal seas, North Sea and Baltic Sea. Comparisons of model results and climatological mean distributions showed that it was possible to calculate vertical stratification of temperature and salinity in a realistic manner and that the permanent halocline in the Baltic is preserved during the calculation period of one year. Beyond, it was also possible to calculate the realistic development of sea ice in the Baltic Sea. Thus, the model represents an important tool for climate research in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.