A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf
Barotropic flow along depth contours is found in accordance with standard geostrophic theory. A numerical model is developed that studies the deviation from such a flow. The model gives a good approximation of the dynamical processes on the West Spitsbergen Shelf (WSS) and shows that the West Spitsb...
Published in: | Journal of Physical Oceanography |
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2016
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Online Access: | https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 https://pureadmin.uhi.ac.uk/ws/files/1963315/Nilsen_et_al_jpo_2016.pdf |
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ftuhipublicatio:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 2024-09-15T17:54:09+00:00 A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf Nilsen, Frank Skogseth, Ragnheid Vaardal-Lunde, Juni Inall, Mark 2016-04 application/pdf https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 https://pureadmin.uhi.ac.uk/ws/files/1963315/Nilsen_et_al_jpo_2016.pdf eng eng https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Nilsen , F , Skogseth , R , Vaardal-Lunde , J & Inall , M 2016 , ' A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf ' , Journal of Physical Oceanography , vol. 46 , no. 4 , pp. 1209-1230 . https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 Upwelling/downwelling Barotropic flows Geographic location/entity Atmosphere-ocean interaction Models and modeling Circulation/ Dynamics Topographic effects Quasigeostrophic models Arctic article 2016 ftuhipublicatio https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 2024-07-22T23:37:24Z Barotropic flow along depth contours is found in accordance with standard geostrophic theory. A numerical model is developed that studies the deviation from such a flow. The model gives a good approximation of the dynamical processes on the West Spitsbergen Shelf (WSS) and shows that the West Spitsbergen Current (WSC), the main gateway of Atlantic water (AW) toward the Arctic, connects more easily to the Isfjorden Trough than anywhere else along the shelf. The circulation of AW in the troughs along the WSS is here named the Spitsbergen Trough Current (STC). From hydrographical and ocean current observations it is evident that the STC is primarily barotropic and driven by the sea surface height. A connection between the along-coast wind stress and the STC is established, and it is demonstrated how the increased occurrence of winter cyclones in Fram Strait during January–February accelerates and widens the WSC. Ultimately, this results in a strengthened STC and dominance of AW on the WSS. The STC represents a slower route of AW toward the Arctic Ocean and a large heat transport toward the West Spitsbergen fjords during winter (0.2–0.4 TW toward Isfjorden). Heat flux estimates show that half of the AW heat loss in the Isfjorden Trough is due to heat loss to the surrounding water masses, while the rest is lost to the atmosphere. Sea ice production along West Spitsbergen has been reduced, or even nonexistent, in some fjords since 2006. Here, the authors argue that this is a consequence of the strong southerly wind periods along the WSS during winter. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Isfjord* Isfjorden Sea ice Spitsbergen University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI Journal of Physical Oceanography 46 4 1209 1230 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI |
op_collection_id |
ftuhipublicatio |
language |
English |
topic |
Upwelling/downwelling Barotropic flows Geographic location/entity Atmosphere-ocean interaction Models and modeling Circulation/ Dynamics Topographic effects Quasigeostrophic models Arctic |
spellingShingle |
Upwelling/downwelling Barotropic flows Geographic location/entity Atmosphere-ocean interaction Models and modeling Circulation/ Dynamics Topographic effects Quasigeostrophic models Arctic Nilsen, Frank Skogseth, Ragnheid Vaardal-Lunde, Juni Inall, Mark A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
topic_facet |
Upwelling/downwelling Barotropic flows Geographic location/entity Atmosphere-ocean interaction Models and modeling Circulation/ Dynamics Topographic effects Quasigeostrophic models Arctic |
description |
Barotropic flow along depth contours is found in accordance with standard geostrophic theory. A numerical model is developed that studies the deviation from such a flow. The model gives a good approximation of the dynamical processes on the West Spitsbergen Shelf (WSS) and shows that the West Spitsbergen Current (WSC), the main gateway of Atlantic water (AW) toward the Arctic, connects more easily to the Isfjorden Trough than anywhere else along the shelf. The circulation of AW in the troughs along the WSS is here named the Spitsbergen Trough Current (STC). From hydrographical and ocean current observations it is evident that the STC is primarily barotropic and driven by the sea surface height. A connection between the along-coast wind stress and the STC is established, and it is demonstrated how the increased occurrence of winter cyclones in Fram Strait during January–February accelerates and widens the WSC. Ultimately, this results in a strengthened STC and dominance of AW on the WSS. The STC represents a slower route of AW toward the Arctic Ocean and a large heat transport toward the West Spitsbergen fjords during winter (0.2–0.4 TW toward Isfjorden). Heat flux estimates show that half of the AW heat loss in the Isfjorden Trough is due to heat loss to the surrounding water masses, while the rest is lost to the atmosphere. Sea ice production along West Spitsbergen has been reduced, or even nonexistent, in some fjords since 2006. Here, the authors argue that this is a consequence of the strong southerly wind periods along the WSS during winter. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nilsen, Frank Skogseth, Ragnheid Vaardal-Lunde, Juni Inall, Mark |
author_facet |
Nilsen, Frank Skogseth, Ragnheid Vaardal-Lunde, Juni Inall, Mark |
author_sort |
Nilsen, Frank |
title |
A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
title_short |
A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
title_full |
A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
title_fullStr |
A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf |
title_sort |
simple shelf circulation model: intrusion of atlantic water on the west spitsbergen shelf |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 https://pureadmin.uhi.ac.uk/ws/files/1963315/Nilsen_et_al_jpo_2016.pdf |
genre |
Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Isfjord* Isfjorden Sea ice Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Isfjord* Isfjorden Sea ice Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Nilsen , F , Skogseth , R , Vaardal-Lunde , J & Inall , M 2016 , ' A Simple Shelf Circulation Model: Intrusion of Atlantic Water on the West Spitsbergen Shelf ' , Journal of Physical Oceanography , vol. 46 , no. 4 , pp. 1209-1230 . https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 |
op_relation |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/f898bd96-4c03-4e04-8244-cce00e738a49 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0058.1 |
container_title |
Journal of Physical Oceanography |
container_volume |
46 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1209 |
op_container_end_page |
1230 |
_version_ |
1810430371618095104 |