| Summary: | A dense network of conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) measurements as carried out between 76°N and 81°Nin order to define the distribution of temperature and salinity in Fram Strait. Although weakly baroclinic, the WSC flow was found to be strongly influenced by the 2000 m deep Kipnovich Ridge which separated the flow into several streams. In addition, filaments of warm Atlantic Water (AW) were found to spread out over the top of the Greenland Gyre. The WSC branches near 80°N. approximately 20% of the baroclinic transport enters the Arctic Ocean north of Spitsbergen as the eastern branch. The other branch (80% of the baroclinic transport) turns westward, apparently under the influence of the Yermak Plateau, and joins with the southward flowing East Greenland Current (EGC). The entire turning takes place south of 81°N near the ice edge with baroclinic speeds of up to 0. 03 m/s. The structure of the East Greenland Polar Front (EGPF) and associated mesoscale features were also examined. The EGPF was found to leave the Greenland continental slope north of 79°N and turn northeastward across the Yermak Plateau and into the Arctic basin. A cold core mesoscale eddy having a length scale of approximately 60 km and a closed baroclinic circulation up to 0.15 m/s was found associated with the front. Also associated with the front was extensive temperature and salinity finestructure which occurred near the maximum temperature in the water column. This finestructure was often associated with strong double diffusive activity. NA NA http://archive.org/details/mesoscalevariabi1094522353
|
|---|