Currents in Long Strait, Arctic Ocean

• Main Authors: L. K. Coachman, D. A. Rankin
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Chukchi Sea; East Siberian Sea; Wrangel Island; Arctique*; Chukchi; Océan Arctique
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.694.5027; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic21-1-27.pdf

ABSTRACT. During summer 1966, about 440 current measurements were made in Long Strait, which separates Wrangel Island from the Siberian mainland. This is the most comprehensive suite of current data available from the area and reveals significant information about the nature and generation of the currents. The semidiurnal tide wave of the Arctic Ocean, propagating eastward through the strait, gives rise to significant tidal oscillation of the currents primarily along the axis of the channel. The oscillation varies in amplitude with the semimonthly tidal inequality. The long-term mean flow through the strait is determined by the continuity requirements of the Chukchi Sea-East Siberian Sea system as it responds to the regional winds. When regional atmospheric pressure differences dictate south-erly winds east of Wrangel Island and/or northerly winds to the west, there is a mean westbound flow through the strait, and vice versa. The surface-water layer and ice field respond more directly to local winds. RÉSUMÉ. Les courants dans le détroit de Long, océan Arctique. Au cours de l'été de 1966, on a recueilli dans le détroit de Long, qui sépare l'île Wrangel de