Articles | Volume 20, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-895-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-895-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The Polar Front in the northwestern Barents Sea: structure, variability and mixing
Eivind H. Kolås
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Center for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
Ilker Fer
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Center for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
Till M. Baumann
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Center for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
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The Arctic Ocean is a major sink for heat and salt for the global ocean. Ocean mixing contributes to this sink by mixing the Atlantic and Pacific waters with surrounding waters. We investigate the drivers of ocean mixing north of Svalbard based on observations collected during two research cruises in 2018 as part of the Nansen Legacy project. We found that wind and tidal forcing are the main drivers and that 1 % of the Atlantic Water heat loss can be attributed to vertical turbulent mixing.
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Short summary
In the northwestern Barents Sea, we study the Barents Sea Polar Front formed by Atlantic Water meeting Polar Water. Analyses of ship and glider data from October 2020 to February 2021 show a density front with warm, salty water intruding under cold, fresh water. Short-term variability is linked to tidal currents and mesoscale eddies, influencing front position, density slopes and water mass transformation. Despite seasonal changes in the upper layers, the front remains stable below 100 m depth.
In the northwestern Barents Sea, we study the Barents Sea Polar Front formed by Atlantic Water...