On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen
This paper describes the thermohaline characteristics of the Arctic Front to the west of Spitsbergen, in terms of the double-diffusive environment and the potential for densification through cabbeling. The front separates the warm, saline Atlantic water in the West Spitsbergen Current from the coole...
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Language: | English |
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Norwegian Polar Institute
2007
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ftjpolarres:oai:journals.openacademia.net:article/2023 2024-09-15T18:31:21+00:00 On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen Cottier, Finlo R. Venables, Emily J. 2007-09-01 application/pdf https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023 https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 eng eng Norwegian Polar Institute https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023/5274 https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023 doi:10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 Polar Research; Vol. 26 No. 2 (2007); 152-159 1751-8369 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2007 ftjpolarres https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 2024-06-28T03:10:15Z This paper describes the thermohaline characteristics of the Arctic Front to the west of Spitsbergen, in terms of the double-diffusive environment and the potential for densification through cabbeling. The front separates the warm, saline Atlantic water in the West Spitsbergen Current from the cooler, fresher water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf. We have investigated processes at the front that can contribute to, or enhance, mixing and water mass modification in relation to heat transport to the Arctic. Hydrographic data were collected along a cross-shelf section in September 2005. The double-diffusive properties along the section were determined by calculating Turner angles, and cabbeling was investigated with a simple linear mixing scheme. Double diffusion, in the form of diffusive layering, was found to be active within the Arctic Front, with considerable interleaving between water masses. Furthermore, mixing of water masses across the front was found to generate a potential increase in density of more than 0.03 kg m -3 through cabbeling, which would then promote sinking and convergence. Our analyses indicate that the two processes of double diffusion and cabbeling are active at the Arctic Front. We discuss their potential contribution to maintaining the density-compensated nature of the front, and conclude that they will promote isopycnal mixing and subsequent modification of the core water of the West Spitsbergen Current. Article in Journal/Newspaper Polar Research Spitsbergen Polar Research Polar Research 26 2 |
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Polar Research |
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ftjpolarres |
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English |
description |
This paper describes the thermohaline characteristics of the Arctic Front to the west of Spitsbergen, in terms of the double-diffusive environment and the potential for densification through cabbeling. The front separates the warm, saline Atlantic water in the West Spitsbergen Current from the cooler, fresher water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf. We have investigated processes at the front that can contribute to, or enhance, mixing and water mass modification in relation to heat transport to the Arctic. Hydrographic data were collected along a cross-shelf section in September 2005. The double-diffusive properties along the section were determined by calculating Turner angles, and cabbeling was investigated with a simple linear mixing scheme. Double diffusion, in the form of diffusive layering, was found to be active within the Arctic Front, with considerable interleaving between water masses. Furthermore, mixing of water masses across the front was found to generate a potential increase in density of more than 0.03 kg m -3 through cabbeling, which would then promote sinking and convergence. Our analyses indicate that the two processes of double diffusion and cabbeling are active at the Arctic Front. We discuss their potential contribution to maintaining the density-compensated nature of the front, and conclude that they will promote isopycnal mixing and subsequent modification of the core water of the West Spitsbergen Current. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cottier, Finlo R. Venables, Emily J. |
spellingShingle |
Cottier, Finlo R. Venables, Emily J. On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
author_facet |
Cottier, Finlo R. Venables, Emily J. |
author_sort |
Cottier, Finlo R. |
title |
On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
title_short |
On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
title_full |
On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
title_fullStr |
On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the Arctic Front, West Spitsbergen |
title_sort |
on the double-diffusive and cabbeling environment of the arctic front, west spitsbergen |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023 https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 |
genre |
Polar Research Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Polar Research Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Polar Research; Vol. 26 No. 2 (2007); 152-159 1751-8369 |
op_relation |
https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023/5274 https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2023 doi:10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v26i2.6222 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
26 |
container_issue |
2 |
_version_ |
1810472991068258304 |