Articles | Volume 20, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-981-2024
© 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-20-981-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Aug 2024
Research article |
| 13 Aug 2024
| 13 Aug 2024
An emerging pathway of Atlantic Water to the Barents Sea through the Svalbard Archipelago: drivers and variability
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Ragnheid Skogseth
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Till M. Baumann
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
Eva Falck
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Ilker Fer
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
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Eivind H. Kolås, Tore Mo-Bjørkelund, and Ilker Fer
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A turbulence instrument was installed on a light autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and deployed in the Barents Sea in February 2021. We present the data quality and discuss limitations when measuring turbulence from the AUV. AUV vibrations contaminate the turbulence measurements, yet the measurements were sufficiently cleaned when the AUV operated in turbulent environments. In quiescent environments the noise from the AUV became relatively large, making the turbulence measurements unreliable.
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We quantify the mesoscale eddy field in the Lofoten Basin using Lagrangian model trajectories and aim to estimate the relative importance of eddies compared to the ambient flow in transporting warm Atlantic Water to the Lofoten Basin as well as modifying it. Water properties are largely changed in eddies compared to the ambient flow. However, only a relatively small fraction of eddies is detected in the basin. The ambient flow therefore dominates the heat transport to the Lofoten Basin.
Zoe Koenig, Eivind H. Kolås, and Ilker Fer
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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
Atlantic water (AW) is a key driver of change in the Barents Sea. We studied an emerging pathway through the Svalbard Archipelago that allows AW to enter the Barents Sea. We found that the Atlantic sector near the study site has warmed over the past 2 decades; that Atlantic-origin waters intermittently enter the Barents Sea through the aforementioned pathway; and that heat transport is driven by tides, wind events, and variations in the upstream current system.
Atlantic water (AW) is a key driver of change in the Barents Sea. We studied an emerging pathway...
