Structure of the Fram Strait branch of the boundary current in the Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean

スポンサーリンク

概要

• 論文の詳細を見る

• Recent mooring-based observations at several locations along the continental slope of the Arctic Ocean's Eurasian Basin showed a transformation of the Boundary Current (BC) from a mostly barotropic flow in Fram Strait to a jet-like baroclinic current northeast of Svalbard, and the reemergence of the barotropic structure of the flow in the eastern Eurasian Basin. This transformation is accompanied by a weakening of the flow from ∼24 cm/s in Fram Strait to ∼5 cm/s at the Lomonosov Ridge. The maximum of the baroclinic component of the BC at an intermediate depth (∼200–370 m) is associated with the Atlantic Water core. The depth range of the baroclinic current maximum is controlled by cross-slope density gradients above and below the baroclinic velocity maximum as follows from the geostrophic balance of forces. According to the model simulations, the BC splits into shallow and deep branches in the proximity of Svalbard due to a divergence of isobaths, confirming topographically-controlled BC behavior. The shallow branch is located at a shelf break with a typical bottom depth of ∼200 m and current speed of up to ∼24 cm/s. The discussed results, which provide insight on some basic aspects of the dynamics of the BC (the major oceanic heat source for the Arctic Ocean), may be of importance for understanding of the ocean's role in shaping the arctic climate system state.

• 2013-06-00

著者

• KIKUCHI Takashi

  Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

• Polyakov Igor

  International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 930 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.

• Pnyushkov Andrey

  International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 930 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.

• Ivanov Vladimir

  International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 930 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.

関連論文

• Does freshening of surface water enhance heterotrophic prokaryote production in the western Arctic? Empirical evidence from the Canada Basin during September 2009
• Structure of the Fram Strait branch of the boundary current in the Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean
• JAMSTEC-IARC international collaboration enhancing understanding of the Arctic climate system
• Configuring high frequency radar observations in the Southern Chukchi Sea
• Seasonal climatologies of oxygen and phosphates in the Bering Sea reconstructed by variational data assimilation approach

スポンサーリンク