The Eurasian and Makarov Basins target changes in the Arctic Ocean

Abstract:

The Arctic Ocean interior is warming, and there is no indication that the rate of warming will decrease in the near future. The relative role of the interior ocean’s warmth in setting net energy flux to, and the mass balance of, Arctic sea ice, however, is still under debate. Thus, quantifying this flux and understanding mechanisms for redistributing heat in the ocean interior are of particular importance. Warm (>0°C) intermediate-depth (150–900m) water of Atlantic origin (the so-called Atlantic Water, AW) is the major source of heat for the ocean interior. Ice thickness along the continental slope east of Svalbard is much less than that expected of first-year ice, suggesting that AW has a direct impact on sea ice just after entering the Arctic. However, in the Canadian Basin, far away from Fram Strait, overlying fresher and colder stable layers effectively insulate the upper mixed layer and ice from impacts of the AW heat. Even though the eastern Eurasian Basin (EEB) is separated from Fram Strait by hundreds of kilometers, the AW heat finds its ways for reaching the ice base in this part of the Arctic Ocean. A distinct process, double diffusion convection, plays an important role in vertical redistribution of AW heat in this region. Double diffusion convection is typically identified as a vertical sequence of almost-homogeneous convective layers separated by high-gradient interfaces, forming a double diffusive "staircase". The staircase structure is a consequence of the differing molecular diffusivities of heat and salt; surprisingly, even though molecular properties drive the instability, resulting net fluxes can be very large, up to several W/m². The interaction of shear and diffusive layering can significantly alter the heat (and momentum) flux through a staircase. The existing data set are limited and further detailed process studies in the EEB targeting the unique mechanisms of oceanic heat exchange in the interior of the EEB are required.