Vertical mixing at intermediate depths in the Arctic boundary current

Lenn, Y. D.; Wiles, P. J.; Torres-valdes, S.; Abrahamsen, E. P.; Rippeth, T. P.; Simpson, J. H.; Bacon, S.; Laxon, S. W.; Polyakov, I.; Ivanov, V.; Kirillov, S.. 2009 Vertical mixing at intermediate depths in the Arctic boundary current. Geophysical Research Letters, 36 (5), L05601. 5, pp. 10.1029/2008GL036792

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Abstract/Summary

Microstructure and hydrographic observations, during September 2007 in the boundary current on the East Siberian continental slope, document upper ocean stratification and along-stream water mass changes. A thin warm surface layer overrides a shallow halocline characterized by a ~40-m thick temperature minimum layer beginning at ~30 m depth. Below the halocline, well-defined thermohaline diffusive staircases extended downwards to warm Atlantic Water intrusions found at 200-800 m depth. Observed turbulent eddy kinetic energy dissipations are extremely low (epsilon <10^-6 W m^-3), such that double diffusive convection dominates the vertical mixing in the upper-ocean. The diffusive convection heat fluxes F^dc_H ~1 W m^-2, are an order of magnitude too small to account for the observed along-stream cooling of the boundary current. Our results implicate circulation patterns and the influence of shelf waters in the evolution of the boundary current waters.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number/DOI:	10.1029/2008GL036792
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Other Special Projects NOC Programmes
ISSN:	0094-8276
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences
Date made live:	06 Mar 2009 15:15
URI:	http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5919

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