The CLIVAR/CliC NORP panel organized its first monthly telecon in 2021 on 11th January.

The Arctic climate system is rapidly transitioning into a new regime with a reduction in the extent of sea ice, enhanced mixing in the ocean and atmosphere, and thus enhanced coupling within the ocean-ice-atmosphere system. In the review paper ‘Freshwater in the Arctic Ocean 2010–2019’, which led by the CLIVAR/CliC NORP, one of the critically important aspects of this new regime, the variability of Arctic freshwater, was assessed. In this telecon, the panel discussed the review comments from the ‘Ocean Science’ (https://os.copernicus.org/preprints/os-2020-113/), with a focus on the short comment about the depth of the halocline, which has been a long discussing topic.

The panel is organizing a review paper on another important parameter in the Arctic, the Arctic heat flux. Some of the preliminary thoughts were discussed during this meeting.

NORP is also planning to host a forum on coordinating Arctic observations. Leaders of some of the observation organizations will be invited to give a brief introduction in the next telecon. The forum is planned to be organized in September, people are welcome to stay tuned for updates.

The next telecon will be in Mid-February.