Interannual variability of dense shelf water salinities in the north-western Barents Sea

The maximum dense shelf water salinity formed during winter in the Svalbard Bank area of the north-western Barents Sea is reconstructed for the period 1952–2000 by analysing the transformation of summer remnants. The variability of 34.7 - 35.4, waters being at the freezing point, is mainly generated by interannual variations in the near surface salinity. On interannual time scales the latter is strongly linked to the sea ice import. In contrast, no correlation of the salinity of the Atlantic Water (AW) throughflow to the Arctic Ocean with the ice import is found. Salinities of both the dense shelf water site in the north-west Barents Sea and the north-eastward AW throughflow show a long term decrease, which can partly be explained by a less saline inflow of AW from the Norwegian Sea. The unusually low dense water salinities in the north-west Barents Sea during the 1990s appear to have a different origin, consistent with a response to oceanic heat advection and decreasing sea ice extent.     

Meridional zonation of the Barents Sea ecosystem inferred from satellite remote sensing and in situ bio-optical observations

The Barents Sea is a productive, shallow, high-latitude marine ecosystem with complex hydrographic conditions. Zonal hydrographic bands defined by a coastal current. North Atlantic Water, the Polar Front, and the seasonally variable marginal ice edge zone create a meridional zonation of the ecosystem during the spring-summer transition. The features reveal themselves in satellite imagery and by high-resolution (vertical and horizontal) physical-optical-biological sampling.
Surprisingly, the long-term (7-year) mean of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) imagery reveals the Barents Sea as an anomalous "blue-water" regime at high latitudes that are otherwise dominated by satellite-observed surface blooms. A combination of satellite imagery and in situ bio-optical analyses indicate that this pattern is caused by strong stratification in summer with surface nutrient depletion. The onset of stratification of the entire region is linked to the extent of the winter ice edge: cold years with extensive sea ice apparently stratify early due to ice melt; warm years stratify later, perhaps due to weaker thermal stratification of the Atlantic waters (e.g. Skjoldal et al. 1987). The apparent "low chlorophyll" indicated by the CZCS 7-year mean is partly due to sampling error whereby the mean is dominated by images taken later in the summer. In fact, massive blooms of subsurface phytoplankton embedded in the pycnocline persist throughout the summer and maintain substantial rates of primary production. Further, these subsurface blooms that are not observed by satellite are responsible for dramatic gradients in the beam (c₁) and spectral diffuse (k) attenuation coefficients. The Barents Sea exemplifies the need to couple satellite observations with spatially and temporally resolved biogeographic ecosystem models in order to estimate the integrated water column primary production, mass flux or spectral light attenuation coefficients.     

Seasonal distribution of harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) in the Barents Sea

The distributional patterns of Barents Sea harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) throughout the year are presented based on existing literature and recent Norwegian and Russian field observations. The harp seals breed in February-March in the White Sea. Moulting occurs during April to June in the White Sea and southern Barents Sea. Feeding.behaviour is closely related to the configuration and localisation of the drifting sea-ice during summer and autumn (June-October) when the seals follow the receding ice edge, retiring gradually northwards and northeastwards in the Barents Sea. The southward movement of the population in autumn probably takes place in November prior to the advance of the ice edge, and is likely related to food-search. Apparently, most Barents Sea harp seals seems to concentrate at the southern end of their range in winter and spring.     

1979-2012年北极海冰范围年际和年代际变化分析

利用美国冰雪中心发布的海冰密集度数据,对1979—2012年北极海冰范围进行年际和年代际变化分析。结果表明:(1)海冰在秋季融化速度最快,其次为夏季、冬季、春季。2000年后春季下降速率变缓,而其他季节融化速度加快;(2)由于多年冰的融化,太平洋扇区在夏秋季节融化速度要高于其他海区。而大西洋扇区在冬季和春季海冰的融化速度要快于夏秋季节,主要是因为大西洋海温升高;(3)东半球在夏秋季节海冰融化的范围要大于西半球,因此东北航道比西北航道提前开通应用。而整个北极区域近几年春季融化速度变缓,则主要是西半球的作用;(4)从空间分布年代际变化来看,1989—1998年最接近气候态,1979—1988年密集度偏大区域主要在巴伦支海和东西伯利亚海,2009—2012年海冰密集度较常年显著偏小,东半球密集度减小幅度比西半球更大,尤其是冬春季在巴伦支海,夏秋季在楚科奇海。春季时由于风的作用,白令海附近海冰密集度异常偏大;(5)北极区域海冰范围在冬春季比夏秋季突变明显,基本在2003年前后,海冰范围变化周期为6年。     

Seabirds in the Greenland, Barents and Norwegian Seas, February-April 1982

The pelagic distributions of seabirds in the Greenland, Norwegian and western Barents Seas are poorly known, especially in winter. This paper describes quantitative observations made in the course of an oceanographic cruise between 60°-79°13'N and 15°W-18°30'E from 25 February to 4 April 1982. Seabirds were generally scarce: the principal species were Fulmarus glacialis, Rissa tridactyla, Pagophila eburnea, Una spp. and Alle atle . Numbers were greatest in the south and east, where the sea surface temperatures were warmest. Pagophila eburnea and Cepphus grylle were most commonly seen near the edge of the pack-ice in the Greenland Sea. In the pack-ice zone Fulmarus glacialis and Alle alle were commonest where the sea surface was 40–60% covered with ice. These late-winter observations are compared with published accounts of summer distributions. Preliminary quantitative comparisons also suggest that the size of the population of Uria spp. wintering in the survey area, and especially in the western Barents Sea, is significantly larger than that which winters off Nova Scotia, eastern Canada; the reverse is true of Alle alle. R. G. B. Brown, Canadian Wildlife Service, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Boxlø06, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, B2Y 4A2 .     

Aerial strip surveys of polar bears in the Barents Sea

Aerial strip surveys of polar bears in the Barents Sea were performed by helicopter in winter 1987. The number of bears within 100 m on each side of the helicopter was counted. A total of 263.6 km² was surveyed and 21 bears were counted. Most of the bears were found in the southern part of the area, which indicates that the southwestern ice edge area in the Barents Sea is a very important winter habitat for polar bears.     

Simulation of currents, ice melting, and vertical mixing in the Barents Sea using a 3-D baroclinic model

A baroclinic. 3-D model is described. It is adapted to the Barents Sea and includes thermodynamics and atmospheric input. The freezing and melting of ice is allowed for in the model. The main task of the study is to look at the development of the ice cover, the vertical mixing, and the vertical and horizontal density gradients.
Despite simple approximations in the air temperature input, realistic ice-cover is produced in the model area during simulation of a "freezing period" (winter). This intermediate result is briefly discussed and also forms the start of a "melting period" simulation (spring/summer). Atmospheric input data (wind, air pressure, and heat flux) from the spring and summer 1983 is used, and details about vertical mixing, temperature, and salinity are discussed. The simulation results demonstrate the temporal variation of the thermocline depth, the variation of the ice cover, and the horizontal changes of density. The conclusion is that despite often simplified input, the model seems to produce a physical picture characteristic of the Barents Sea.     

Primary production of the northern Barents Sea

The majority of the arctic waters are only seasonally ice covered; the northern Barents Sea, where freezing starts at 80 to 81°N in September, is one such area. In March, the ice cover reaches its greatest extension (74-75°N). Melting is particularly rapid in June and July, and by August the Barents Sea may be ice free. The pelagic productive season is rather short, 3 to 3.5 months in the northern part of the Barents Sea (north of the Polar Front, 75°N), and is able to sustain an open water production during only half of this time when a substantial part of the area is free of ice. Ice algal production starts in March and terminates during the rapid melting season in June and July, thus equalling the pelagic production season in duration.
This paper presents the first in situ measurements of both pelagic and ice-related production in the northern Barents Sea: pelagic production in summer after melting has started and more open water has become accessible, and ice production in spring before the ice cover melts. Judged by the developmental stage of the plankton populations, the northern Barents Sea consists of several sub-areas with different phytoplankton situations. Estimates of both daily and annual carbon production have been based on in situ measurements. Although there are few sampling stations (6 phytoplankton stations and 8 ice-algae stations), the measurements represent both pelagic bloom and non-bloom conditions and ice algal day and night production. The annual production in ice was estimated to 5.3 g Cm^-2, compared to the pelagic production of 25 to 30 g Cm^-2 south of Kvitøya and 12 to 15 g Cm^-2 further north. According to these estimates ice production thus constitutes 16% to 22% of the total primary production of the northern Barents Sea, depending on the extent of ice-free areas.     

Are bacteria active in the cold pelagic ecosystem of the Barents Sea?

Bacterial biomass and activity indicators have been studied at low water temperatures (−1.9 to +4°C) in Barents Sea. Strong responses by indicators of bacterial activity, such as hydrolytic enzyme and substrate uptake potentials, were observed in association with the development of phytoplankton blooms. At late successional stages of blooms, observation by epifluorescence microscopy revealed heavy bacterial colonisation of detrital matter, in particular of senescent colonies of Phaeocystis pouchetii . Based on the retention of bacteria on filters of 1 μm pore size, up to 55% of the bacterial population was estimated to be attached to organic aggregates in some cases. Based on thymidine incorporation and a conventional conversion factor, bacterial generation times as short as one day were estimated at temperatures below zero. Changes in substrate availability governed by the successional stages of the planktonic ecosystem seem to be more important as controlling factors for bacterial growth than the low temperatures of the Barents Sea.     

黄河上游水电工程对局地气候的影响

本文阐述了黄河上游段水电工程概况，并以刘家峡和龙羊峡水库为主对库周各站建加前后各５年或１０年的气象资料进行了对比分析，揭示了水库对周围地区各气候因子影响程度。     

Spatial variability of phytoplankton, nutrients and new production estimates in the waters around Svalbard

Phytoplankton dynamics and carbon input into Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems were investigated around Svalbard, in summer 1991. Phytoplankton biomass, species composition and dissolved nutrient concentrations were analysed from water samples collected along seven transects. Phytoplankton biomass was low especially to the north (Chlorophyll-a mean 0.3 pg 1- '), where flagellates dominated the communities and only ice-diatoms were present. To the west, the phytoplankton composition was representative of a summer Atlantic community, in a post-bloom state. Zooplankton grazing, mainly by copepods, appeared to be the main control on biomass to the west and north of Svalbard.
In the Barents Sea (east of Svalbard), an ice edge bloom was observed (Chlorophyll-a max. 6.8 pgl-') and the ice edge receded at a rate of approximately 1 1 km day-'. The phytoplankton community was represented by marginal ice species, especially Phaeocystis poucherii and Chaeroceros socialis. South of the ice edge, Deep Chlorophyll Maxima (DCM) were observed, as surface waters became progressively nutrient-depleted. In these surface waters, the phytoplankton were predominantly auto- and heterotrophic flagellates.
Carbon production measurements revealed high net production (new and regenerated) to the north of the Barents Sea Polar Front (BSPF); it was especially high at the receding ice edge (reaching 1.44gC m-'day-'). To the south, a low level of production was maintained, mainly through regenerative processes.     

Photosynthesis-irradiance relationships in natural phytoplankton populations of the Barents Sea

An analysis is made of the photosynthesis-irradiance relationships in natural phytoplankton populations in the Barents Sea. The data set comprises 232 experiments carried out during a 10-year period, both in open and ice-covered waters. The variability on the P-I parameters is discussed and examined in relation to the variation in a variety of environmental conditions. The results suggest that in the Barents Sea, as in other Arctic areas, phytoplankton photosynthesis is mainly controlled by physical variables. However, control of the phytoplankton stock, i.e. by zooplankton grazing, seems also to have a considerable indirect influence on P-I parameters, especially after the spring bloom and the depletion of winter nutrients.     

ERA40中北半球高纬地区冬季气候变化和冰-气相互作用特征分析

利用欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)再分析资料(ERA40)分析了最近几十年冬季北半球高纬地区的气候变化和冰-气相互作用特征。在全球增暖背景下,冬季北半球高纬地区增温幅度更大,但温度变化明显具有区域性特点。20世纪70年代末期开始,格陵兰海、巴伦支海及欧亚大陆大部分区域和北美大陆部分区域在增暖,而拉布拉多海、格陵兰和白令海峡区域却变冷。与此对应,中央北极区及气候冰岛低压中心海平面气压在降低,而再往南区域海平面气压在升高。从20世纪70年代开始,格陵兰海和巴伦支海给大气的感热通量和潜热通量增多,这说明由于气温增加,使得海冰密集度减小,海冰对海气感热通量和潜热通量交换的隔离层作用减小,通量交换大大增加。而在挪威海非海冰区,由于气温增加,海气温差减小,海洋给大气的感热通量和潜热通量减少。在拉布拉多海,由于气温降低,海气温差增大,使得海洋给大气的感热通量和潜热通量增加,有利于拉布拉多海海冰的增多。海平面气压、海冰密集度及表面感热通量和潜热通量之和对大气表面温度 EOF 展开第一模时间系数的线性回归结果均与各自的EOF 展开第一模空间分布特征接近。     

2014年夏季北极东北航道冰情分析

使用2003—2014年6—9月份的AMSR-E和AMSR-2海冰密集度数据计算了北极海冰范围, 并获得海冰空间分布图。通过分析得出, 2014年北极夏季海冰范围在数值上与2003—2013年的多年平均值很接近, 在空间分布上与多年中值范围相比主要表现为两个方面的不同：(1)2014年夏季拉普捷夫海及其以北海域海冰明显少于多年中值范围, 9月份冰区最北边界超过了85°N;(2)巴伦支海北部斯瓦尔巴群岛至法兰士约瑟夫地群岛区域海冰范围明显多于多年中值范围, 而且海冰范围在8月份不减反增, 冰区边界较7月份往南扩张了约0.8个纬度。2014年夏季在拉普捷夫海以南风为主, 而在巴伦支海以北风为主。南风将俄罗斯大陆上温暖的空气吹向高纬地区, 造成高纬地区温度偏高, 促进拉普捷夫海海冰融化, 并使海冰往北退缩。北风将北冰洋上的冷空气吹向低纬地区, 造成巴伦支海的气温偏低, 不利于海冰的融化, 同时北风使海冰往南漂移扩散, 造成巴伦支海北部海冰范围在2014年偏多。2014年北地群岛航线开通时间范围大约在8月上旬到10月上旬, 时长约两个月。新西伯利亚群岛及附近海域的开通时间稍早于北地群岛, 但关闭时间比北地群岛晚, 所以 2014年东北航道全线开通的时间主要受制于北地群岛附近海冰变化。     

Observations on the vegetation and vascular plants of Hopen

The vascular plant flora of the small arctic island of Hopen, located in the Barents Sea, was inventoried during a visit in the summer of 1982. Eighteen vascular plant species were observed and mapped, and the vegetation described.     

黄东海表层海水溶解氧时空变化规律研究

海水中的溶解氧(DO)是影响海洋渔业经济、反映海洋物理化学过程的重要因素。该文依据20世纪90年代末期我国在黄东海海域完成的162个表层海水DO监测数据,利用GIS技术对其进行平面插值拟合,生成该海域DO的四季分布等值线图,据此分析黄东海海域的DO分布和季节变化规律。结果表明：基于太阳辐射导致的海水温度时空差异,影响黄东海DO分布及其季节变化的主要因素是黄海暖流和大陆入海径流。     

Winter climate change and sea ice-atmosphere interaction at high northern latitudes in ERA40 dataset

Based on the reanalysis dataset ERA40 of European Center of Medium Range Weather Forcast (ECMWF), winter climate change and characteristics of sea ice-atmosphere interaction at high northern latitudes for recent several tens of years are analyzed. Superposed upon the background of global warming, the amplitude of temperature increase in winter at high northern latitudes is bigger and it exhibits different features in different regions. From the end of 1970 s, the Greenland Sea, the Barents Sea and most part of Euro-Asian continent and North American continent are getting warmer, whereas the Labrador Sea, the Greenland and the area around the Bering Strait are getting colder. Meanwhile, the sea level pressure in the central part of the northern polar region and the place where the climatic Icelandic low exist decreases, but in places farther southward it increases. Since the 1970 s, the sensible heat flux and latent heat flux sent to the atmosphere from the Greenland Sea and the Barents Sea has increased, this is mainly due to the reduction of sea ice concentration and the weakening of insulator and shield effect of the solid ice accordingly caused by the increase of air temperature. In sea ice free area of the Norwegian Sea, the sensible heat flux and latent heat flux sent to the atmosphere has reduced due to decrease of temperature and humidity differences between the air and the sea surface caused by increase of air temperature and humidity. In the Labrador Sea, due to decrease of air temperature and humidity and increase of temperature and humidity differences between the air and the sea surface accordingly, the sea gives more sensible heat flux and latent heat flux to the air. This will lead to the growth of sea ice extent there. The features of linear regression of sea level pressure, sea ice concentration and sum of sensible heat flux and latent heat flux toward time series of the leading mode of EOF expansion of surface air temperature are close to those of their own EOF expansion for the leading mode, respectively. This shows that these variables share similar features of variation with time linearly.     

Calanus in North Norwegian fjords and in the Barents Sea

The Physical environment of a North Norwegian fjord and of the Atlantic and Arctic domains of the Barents Sea are described. The seasonal variation of primary production and biomass of the most important copepod species are described in order to contrast regional differences in the timing of the plankton cycles. Analysis of the seasonal variation in the biomass of six different copepod species in Balsfjorden clearly demonstrate the importance of Calanus finmarchkus as a spring and early summer form, whereas Pseudoculanus acuspes , the most important smaller form, reaches the highest biomass later during the productive season. In the Atlantic part of the Barents Sea, C. finmarchkus is the dominant herbivorous form. The next most important species, Pseudocalanus sp. and M. longa , play a less important role here than in Balsfjorden. In the Arctic domain, the smaller copepod forms appear to have been replaced in trophodynamic terms by the youngest year-group (C-CIII) of C. glacialis , which prevails during the Arctic summer and autumn periods. The coupling between primary producers and Calanus on a seasonal basis is addressed through the grazing and the vertical organisation of the plant-herbivore community. The productivity of these two Calanus species is considered in relation to the seasonal and inter-annual variation in climate; although different mechanisms are utilised, cold periods tend to lower Calanus productivity both in the Arctic and the Atlantic domains of the Barents Sea. Interannual variations in Calanus biomass and productivity are discussed in the perspective of endemic and advective processes.     

Variability of the Northern Annular Mode's signature in winter sea ice concentration

Historical winter sea ice concentration data are used to examine the relation between the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) and the sea ice concentration in the Nordic seas over the past 50 years. The well known basic response pattern of a seesaw between the Labrador Sea and the Greenland, Iceland and Barents seas is being reproduced. However, the response is not robust in the Greenland and Iceland seas. There the observed variability has a more complex relationship with surface temperatures and winds. We divide the sea ice response into three spectral bands: high (P< year), band (515 year) filtered NAM indices. This division is motivated by the expected slow response of the ocean circulation which might play a significant role in the Greenland and Iceland seas. The response to the NAM is also examined separately for the periods before and after 1976 to identify variations due to the relocation of the northern centre of the North Atlantic Oscillation.