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Numerical study of winter water formation in the Chukchi Sea: Roles and impacts of coastal polynyas

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 11:14 authored by Kawaguchi, Y, Tamura, T, Nishino, S, Kikuchi, T, Itoh, M, Mitsudera, H
Winter water formation is examined in the Chukchi Sea for the winters of 1992¨C2006 using a primitive equation ocean model forced by NCEP wind and surface salinity flux derived from SSM/I thin ice thickness estimates. The model is also forced by an external inflow of 0.8 Sv through the Bering Strait. The model successfully reproduces the oceanic circulation on the Chukchi shelf, thus providing numerous insights into behaviors of salt©\enriched water produced on the shelf. The experiments show that under northeasterly winds, northward throughflow across Barrow Canyon is reduced. This results in salinity buildup under freezing conditions and ultimately in greater enhancement of salinity of the waters carried into the Arctic Basin. The flow and salinity enhancement of the flow through Herald Canyon is less extreme but more steady than through Barrow Canyon. Together with moored salinity in the Bering Strait, the model results estimate the actual salinity to be 32.9 ¡À 0.8 psu and 32.7 ¡À 0.3 psu, respectively, for waters moving through the Barrow and Herald Canyons. Both estimates are less than 33.1 psu that is typically observed for the cold halostad layer in the Canada Basin, suggesting the importance of diapycnal mixing with saltier Atlantic origin water.

History

Publication title

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics

Volume

116

Issue

C7

Article number

C07025

Number

C07025

Pagination

1-19

ISSN

2156-2202

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Amer Geophysical Union

Place of publication

2000 Florida Ave Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20009

Rights statement

Copyright 2011 American Geophysical Union

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Oceanic processes (excl. in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean)

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