State of the eastern North Atlantic subpolar gyre: The Extended Ellett Line Programme Annual Report No. 2

The Extended Ellett Line is a hydrographic section between Iceland and Scotland that is occupied annually by scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), UK. The measurement programme began as a seasonally-occupied hydrographic section in the Rockall Trough in 1975, building on early surface observations made underway from ocean weather ships. In 1996 the section was extended to Iceland, sampling three basins: the Rockall Trough, the Hatton-Rockall Basin and the Iceland Basin. This report presents a summary of data from the Extended Ellett Line programme as well as an overview of activities and analysis from the programme. Historical and recent physical data are analysed to calculate time series of temperature and salinity of the upper ocean and Labrador Sea Water in the eastern subpolar gyre. The most recent Extended Ellett Line cruise (May 2013) is shown as temperature, salinity and density sections.