The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results
The recent decreasing trend of sea ice cover in the Arctic region and its projected future reduction has direct implications for the global thermohaline circulation and the U.S. Navy. This thesis provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean through...
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Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
2004
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ftnavalpschool:oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/1333 2024-06-09T07:42:40+00:00 The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results Williams, Catherine E. Maslowski, Wieslaw Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Oceanography Semtner, Albert 2004-09 xvi, 93 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/10945/1333 unknown Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School https://hdl.handle.net/10945/1333 This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States. Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) Arctic Ocean Ocean modeling Thesis 2004 ftnavalpschool 2024-05-15T00:40:54Z The recent decreasing trend of sea ice cover in the Arctic region and its projected future reduction has direct implications for the global thermohaline circulation and the U.S. Navy. This thesis provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) and the Fram Strait into the deep-water formation region of the Labrador Sea, using model data from 1979 to 2002. The results of this thesis directly aid the Navy in preparing personnel, ships, and weapons systems to operate efficiently in a possible ice-free Arctic. A coupled ice-ocean model of the pan-Arctic region at a 1/12-degree and 45-level grid resolution was used to produce data over a 24-year time period. The 24-year averaged annual velocity, temperature, and salinity profiles were compared for each of the analyzed stations. Additionally, 24-year mean monthly volume and freshwater flux time series plots and annual cycle plots were also produced to analyze the region's interannual variability from 1979 to 2002. The results show that the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is the major contributor of freshwater to the Labrador Sea. The CAA is a direct pathway for increased freshwater export from the Arctic into the sub-arctic seas where North Atlantic Deep Water(NADW)forms. The increased freshwater flux through the CAA, found in this study, supports the earlier reports on the freshening of NADW and a possibility of reduction in the meridional overturning rate in the North Atlantic. An increase in freshwater export from the Arctic is a good indicator of increasing sea ice reduction. The predicted opening of the Arctic to commercial and military vessels poses a direct threat to U.S. economical and strategic interests in the Arctic region. This thesis supports the U.S. Navy's ability to operate in a possibly ice-free Arctic. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Ensign, United States Navy http://archive.org/details/thecirculationnd109451333 Thesis Arctic Archipelago Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago Fram Strait Labrador Sea NADW North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic Sea ice Naval Postgraduate School: Calhoun Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Naval Postgraduate School: Calhoun |
op_collection_id |
ftnavalpschool |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) Arctic Ocean Ocean modeling |
spellingShingle |
Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) Arctic Ocean Ocean modeling Williams, Catherine E. The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
topic_facet |
Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) Arctic Ocean Ocean modeling |
description |
The recent decreasing trend of sea ice cover in the Arctic region and its projected future reduction has direct implications for the global thermohaline circulation and the U.S. Navy. This thesis provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) and the Fram Strait into the deep-water formation region of the Labrador Sea, using model data from 1979 to 2002. The results of this thesis directly aid the Navy in preparing personnel, ships, and weapons systems to operate efficiently in a possible ice-free Arctic. A coupled ice-ocean model of the pan-Arctic region at a 1/12-degree and 45-level grid resolution was used to produce data over a 24-year time period. The 24-year averaged annual velocity, temperature, and salinity profiles were compared for each of the analyzed stations. Additionally, 24-year mean monthly volume and freshwater flux time series plots and annual cycle plots were also produced to analyze the region's interannual variability from 1979 to 2002. The results show that the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is the major contributor of freshwater to the Labrador Sea. The CAA is a direct pathway for increased freshwater export from the Arctic into the sub-arctic seas where North Atlantic Deep Water(NADW)forms. The increased freshwater flux through the CAA, found in this study, supports the earlier reports on the freshening of NADW and a possibility of reduction in the meridional overturning rate in the North Atlantic. An increase in freshwater export from the Arctic is a good indicator of increasing sea ice reduction. The predicted opening of the Arctic to commercial and military vessels poses a direct threat to U.S. economical and strategic interests in the Arctic region. This thesis supports the U.S. Navy's ability to operate in a possibly ice-free Arctic. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Ensign, United States Navy http://archive.org/details/thecirculationnd109451333 |
author2 |
Maslowski, Wieslaw Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Oceanography Semtner, Albert |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Williams, Catherine E. |
author_facet |
Williams, Catherine E. |
author_sort |
Williams, Catherine E. |
title |
The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
title_short |
The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
title_full |
The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
title_fullStr |
The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
title_full_unstemmed |
The circulation and fluxes from the Arctic into the North Atlantic Ocean 1979-2002 model results |
title_sort |
circulation and fluxes from the arctic into the north atlantic ocean 1979-2002 model results |
publisher |
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School |
publishDate |
2004 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10945/1333 |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
genre |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago Fram Strait Labrador Sea NADW North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Arctic Ocean Canadian Arctic Archipelago Fram Strait Labrador Sea NADW North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic Sea ice |
op_relation |
https://hdl.handle.net/10945/1333 |
op_rights |
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States. |
_version_ |
1801371421661724672 |