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Mean Structure and Seasonality of the Norwegian Atlantic Front Current Along the Mohn Ridge From Repeated Glider Transects
Author(s) -
Bosse Anthony,
Fer Ilker
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl084723
Subject(s) - geology , oceanography , geostrophic wind , ridge , front (military) , thermohaline circulation , glider , current (fluid) , seasonality , transect , structural basin , climatology , water mass , geomorphology , paleontology , statistics , mathematics , marine engineering , engineering
The poleward flow of Atlantic Water in the Nordic Seas forms the upper limb of the meridional overturning circulation driving an important heat transport. The Norwegian Atlantic Front Current along the Mohn Ridge between the Greenland and Norwegian Seas is characterized for the first time, using repeated sections over 14 months from autonomous underwater gliders and two research cruises. The Norwegian Atlantic Front Current follows the 2,550‐m isobath with a width of 38 ± 2 km and absolute geostrophic velocities peaking at 0.56 ± 0.03 m s −1 . The mean transport of Atlantic Water is 3.2 ± 0.2 Sv (equivalent to temperature transport of 71 ± 5 TW). Seasonal variability was observed with a magnitude of 0.8 Sv and maximum values in the fall. The deep currents at 1,000 m explained most of this seasonal variation and were anticorrelated with time‐integrated wind stress curl over the Lofoten Basin. Part of this flow might recirculate within the Lofoten Basin, while the rest continues toward the Arctic.