Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N)
Runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet, local glaciers, and snowmelt along the northeastern Greenland coastline has a significant impact on coastal water masses flowing south toward Denmark Strait. Very few direct measurements of runoff currently exist in this large area, and the water masses near the...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/2c720d1c-5e99-4661-9c47-6991042832cb 2024-04-28T08:04:16+00:00 Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) Bendtsen, Jørgen Mortensen, John Rysgaard, Søren 2014 https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/2c720d1c-5e99-4661-9c47-6991042832cb https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 eng eng https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/2c720d1c-5e99-4661-9c47-6991042832cb info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Bendtsen , J , Mortensen , J & Rysgaard , S 2014 , ' Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) ' , Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans , vol. 119 , no. 9 , pp. 6461-6478 . https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 article 2014 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 2024-04-10T23:41:05Z Runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet, local glaciers, and snowmelt along the northeastern Greenland coastline has a significant impact on coastal water masses flowing south toward Denmark Strait. Very few direct measurements of runoff currently exist in this large area, and the water masses near the coast are also difficult to measure due to the presence of icebergs and sea ice. Measurements from the Zackenberg Research station, located in Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord in northeast Greenland (74N), provide some of the few observations of hydrographic, hydrologic, and atmospheric parameters from this remote area. Here we analyze measurements from the fjord and also measurements in the ambient water masses, which are found in the outer fjord and between the fjord and the East Greenland Current and validate and apply a numerical model of the fjord. A model sensitivity study allows us to constrain runoff estimates for the area. We also show that a total runoff between 0.9 and 1.4 km3 in 2006 is in accordance with observed surface salinities and calculated freshwater content in the fjord. This indicates that earlier reported runoff to the area is significantly underestimated and that melt from glaciers and the Greenland Ice Sheet in this region may be up to 50% larger than the current estimate. Model simulations indicate the presence of a cold low-saline coastal water mass formed by runoff from fjords north of the Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord system. Simulations of passive and age tracers show that residence time of river water during the summer period is about 1 month in the inner part of the fjord. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Denmark Strait East Greenland east greenland current Greenland Ice Sheet Iceberg* Sea ice Zackenberg Aarhus University: Research Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 119 9 6461 6478 |
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Aarhus University: Research |
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ftuniaarhuspubl |
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English |
description |
Runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet, local glaciers, and snowmelt along the northeastern Greenland coastline has a significant impact on coastal water masses flowing south toward Denmark Strait. Very few direct measurements of runoff currently exist in this large area, and the water masses near the coast are also difficult to measure due to the presence of icebergs and sea ice. Measurements from the Zackenberg Research station, located in Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord in northeast Greenland (74N), provide some of the few observations of hydrographic, hydrologic, and atmospheric parameters from this remote area. Here we analyze measurements from the fjord and also measurements in the ambient water masses, which are found in the outer fjord and between the fjord and the East Greenland Current and validate and apply a numerical model of the fjord. A model sensitivity study allows us to constrain runoff estimates for the area. We also show that a total runoff between 0.9 and 1.4 km3 in 2006 is in accordance with observed surface salinities and calculated freshwater content in the fjord. This indicates that earlier reported runoff to the area is significantly underestimated and that melt from glaciers and the Greenland Ice Sheet in this region may be up to 50% larger than the current estimate. Model simulations indicate the presence of a cold low-saline coastal water mass formed by runoff from fjords north of the Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord system. Simulations of passive and age tracers show that residence time of river water during the summer period is about 1 month in the inner part of the fjord. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bendtsen, Jørgen Mortensen, John Rysgaard, Søren |
spellingShingle |
Bendtsen, Jørgen Mortensen, John Rysgaard, Søren Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
author_facet |
Bendtsen, Jørgen Mortensen, John Rysgaard, Søren |
author_sort |
Bendtsen, Jørgen |
title |
Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
title_short |
Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
title_full |
Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
title_fullStr |
Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) |
title_sort |
seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high arctic fjord (young sound/tyrolerfjord, 74°n) |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/2c720d1c-5e99-4661-9c47-6991042832cb https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Denmark Strait East Greenland east greenland current Greenland Ice Sheet Iceberg* Sea ice Zackenberg |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Denmark Strait East Greenland east greenland current Greenland Ice Sheet Iceberg* Sea ice Zackenberg |
op_source |
Bendtsen , J , Mortensen , J & Rysgaard , S 2014 , ' Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N) ' , Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans , vol. 119 , no. 9 , pp. 6461-6478 . https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 |
op_relation |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/2c720d1c-5e99-4661-9c47-6991042832cb |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010077 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
container_volume |
119 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
6461 |
op_container_end_page |
6478 |
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1797575042119237632 |