Influence of landfast ice on the hydrography and circulation of the Baltic Sea coastal zone

The influence of landfast ice on hydrography and circulation is examined in Santala Bay, adjacent to the Hanko Peninsula, Gulf of Finland. Three-dimensional electromagnetic current meters and conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensors were deployed in winters 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 during the Finnish-Japanese ‘Hanko 9012’ experiment. In each winter, data collection started one month before the initial ice formation and lasted until one month after the ice had melted completely. Temperature and salinity are compared with long-term data from the Tvärminne Zoological Station, also located on the Hanko Peninsula. The water temperature was 2°C less than the long-term average. Ice formation and melting show up in the salinity evolution of the water body, which makes salinity a good indicator of ice formation and breakup in Santala Bay. The circulation under the ice became weaker by almost 1cms−1