Coupling Detection in Sea Ice of Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea: Information Entropy Approach

Abstract

We examined if a state of sea-ice in Bering Sea acts as a prelude of variation in that of Chukchi Sea by using satellites-based Arctic sea-ice concentration time series. Datasets consist of monthly values of sea-ice concentration during 36 years (1982~2017). Time series analysis armed with Transfer entropy is performed to describe how sea-ice data in Chukchi Sea is affected by that in Bering Sea, and to explain the relationship. The transfer entropy is a measure which identifies a nonlinear coupling between two random variables or signals and estimates causality using modification of time delay. We verified this measure checked a nonlinear coupling for simulated signals. With sea-ice concentration datasets, we found that sea-ice in Bering Sea is influenced by that in Chukchi Sea 3, 5, 6 months ago through the transfer entropy measure suitable for nonlinear system. Particularly, when a sea-ice concentration of Bering Sea has a local minimum, sea ice concentration around Chukchi Sea tends to decline 5 months later with about 70% chance. This finding is considered to be a process that inflow of Pacific water through Bering strait reduces sea-ice in Chukchi Sea after lowering the concentration of sea-ice in Bering Sea. This approach based on information theory will continue to investigate a timing and time scale of interesting patterns, and thus, a coupling inherent in sea-ice concentration of two remote areas will be verified by studying ocean-atmosphere patterns or events in the period.