Interannual Variability of the Sea-Ice-Induced Salt Flux in the Greenland Sea

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Pedersen, Leif Toudal, Coon, M.D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Annals of Glaciology; Greenland; Greenland Sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/450c0ba9-8b0b-4631-860f-72519e1f1e5a; https://doi.org/10.3189/172756401781818257; http://www.oersted.dtu.dk/publications/p.php?170

The Greenland Sea is one of the few places in the World Ocean where deep convection takes place. The convection process is initiated by a density increase originating from rapid cooling and/or a salt flux to the upper layer of the ocean due to brine rejection from ice formation (Rudels, 1990; Visbeck and others, 1995). The predominant ice types in the Greenland Sea arc frazil/grease ice and pancake ice. A numerical model has been developed relating ice formation and decay of these ice types as observed by the SMMR and SSM/I microwave radiometers and evaluating their contribution to salt redistribution in the Greenland Sea. The model has been used to calculate spatial distribution of the annual integrated net salt flux to the Greenland Sea from ice production and advection for the period 1979-97.