Across the Arctic front west of Spitsbergen: high-resolution CTD sections from 1998-2000 |
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| Authors: | Tuomo M Saloranta Harald Svendsen |
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| Institution: | T. M. Saloranta, Dept. of Geophysics, University of Oslo, Box 1022 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway;H. Svendsen, Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, Allégaten 70, N-5007 Bergen, Norway. |
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| Abstract: | The structure of the oceanic Arctic front west of Spitsbergen is investigated using data from high-resolution CTD sections from September 1998-2000. Below the fresher surface layer, the front appears as a temperature-salinity front situated near the shelf break. No clear corresponding front in density is found. Our analysis suggests that barotropic front instability is a main factor in provoking subsurface cross-front exchange. The subsurface heat loss in the West Spitsbergen Current due to this exchange is estimated to be of the same order of magnitude as the heat loss to the atmosphere in the surface layer. |
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