Mapping of Upper Ocean Velocity and Transport in the Cape Farewell Area ...

• Main Author: Meyer, Amelie
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Physical oceanography; Greenland; Cape Farewell; East Greenland; east greenland current; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23222474.v1; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Mapping_of_Upper_Ocean_Velocity_and_Transport_in_the_Cape_Farewell_Area/23222474/1

The global Thermohaline Circulation (THC), driven by fluxes of heat and fresh water at the ocean surface, is known to be intimately involved with major vanations tn the Earth' climate. The East Greenland Coastal Current (EGCC) together with the East Greenland Current (EGC), represent the major surface currents drawing fresh water southwards in the North Atlantic and therefore play an important role in the THC. By identifying and quantifying Sub-Polar ocean processes such as the EGC we can consolidate our knowledge on present-day climate variability. To do so, hydro graphic data from cruise D298 was analyzed and volume transport calculated. We found that the EGC (initially 8.3 Sv) and the EGCC (initially 1.6 Sv), merge around Cape Farewell and that 2.2 Sv of volume transport is lost in the process. We suggest that a certain volume of the boundary currents is integrated into recirculation cells and that 2 2 Sv is exported southward. Further work is needed on the fresh water fluxes to investigate the exact ...