Upper-ocean hydrography of the Nordic Seas during the International Polar Year (2007–2008) as observed by instrumented seals and Argo floats

Following indications of recent warming trends in the Nordic Seas, we have studied the hydrography of these marginal seas from the summer of 2007 until the fall of 2008, using observations gathered by instrumented seals and Argo floats. The combined dataset shows that the upper ocean was indeed both...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Deep-sea research. Part I, Oceanographic research papers Oceanographic research papers, 2014-11, Vol.93, p.41-59
Main Authors: Isachsen, Pål E., Sørlie, Signe R., Mauritzen, Cecilie, Lydersen, Christian, Dodd, Paul, Kovacs, Kit M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal-borne instrumentation
Argo
Climatology
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Floats
Geophysics. Techniques, methods, instrumentation and models
Hydrography
Indication
International Polar Year
Marine mammals
MEOP
Nordic Seas
Oceans
Physical and chemical properties of sea water
Physics of the oceans
Salinity change
Seals
Seas
Temperature
Temperature change
Transport
Wind
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Summary:Following indications of recent warming trends in the Nordic Seas, we have studied the hydrography of these marginal seas from the summer of 2007 until the fall of 2008, using observations gathered by instrumented seals and Argo floats. The combined dataset shows that the upper ocean was indeed both warmer and saltier over much of the Nordic Seas in 2007–2008 compared to the average ocean state for the period 1956–2006 (based on the World Ocean Atlas 2009). There are also indications that the surface Polar Waters of the East Greenland Current were colder and fresher than the climatology, though the quality of the climatology is questionable for this region given the low number of historical observations. Dynamic height calculations suggest that the observed hydrographic changes were associated with enhanced northward upper-ocean thermal wind transport in the east and possibly also enhanced southward transport in the west. •We study modern hydrographic data from the Nordic Seas collected by seals and Argo floats•The eastern Nordic Seas were anomalously warm and salty in 2007–2008.•There is indication that the East Greenland Current was colder and fresher in 2007–2008.•Dynamic height calculations also suggest baroclinic circulation changes.
ISSN:0967-0637
1879-0119
DOI:10.1016/j.dsr.2014.06.012