Figure 1
Abstract
Ice arches in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) block the inflow of Arctic Ocean ice for the majority of the year. A 22 year record (1997–2018) of Arctic Ocean‐CAA ice exchange was used to investigate the effect of warming on CAA sea ice dynamics. Larger ice area flux values were associated with longer flow duration and faster ice speed facilitated by increased open water leeway from the CAA’s transition to a younger and thinner ice regime, which together have contributed to a significant ice area flux increase ($10^{3} km^{2} year^{-1}$) from Arctic Ocean into the northern CAA from 1997 to 2018. Remarkably, the 2016 Arctic Ocean ice area flux into the CAA ($161 × 10^{3} km^{2}$) was 7 times greater than the 1997–2018 average ($23 × 10^{3} km^{2}$) and almost double the 2007 ice area flux into Nares Strait ($87 × 10^{3} km^{2}$). Continued warming may result in the CAA becoming a larger outlet for Arctic Ocean ice area loss.