Changes of termohaline characteristics of Transpolar system of the Arctic ocean

Extensive archives of observations have been used to analyze changes of water salinity, temperature and thickness of the upper,Atlanticand bottom layers in the Eurasian and Amerasian basins of the Arctic Ocean (AO) in 1950–1993 and 2007–2013. Multivariate models revealed the mechanisms of the coherency of the layer properties. An opposition of variations of thicknesses of the Atlantic layer from one side and the upper and bottom layers from the other side was established; it was also shown that the increase of temperature of the Atlantic layer is followed by salinification of the upper layer with a 4 year lag. Strong correlation of temperature and salinity of the upper and Atlantic layers with climatic indexes (like the North Atlantic Oscillation index) suggests the connection between processes in theArcticand lower latitude regions. The role of external hydrometeorological forcings in climatic changes of the AO state was revealed. The statistical multivariable model is capable of describing large-scale components of the Transpolar system of the AO which is an important contribution for understanding of the Arctic climate system.

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