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The present water masses conditions of West Spitsbergen fjords

https://doi.org/10.30758/0555-2648-2018-64-2-125-140

Abstract

The study is based on CTD measurements collected during Arctic cruises in Isfjorden including Billefjorden and Gronfjorden in summer between 2011 and 2017. The purpose of this paper is to describe the present state of fjords water masses. In the first part of the paper distributions of water masses in Isfjorden and Billefjorden in summer 2014–2017 and in Grönfjorden in summer 2011– 2017 are analyzed. In paper was shown that for Isfjorden and Grönfjorden there were 4 types of masses: surface water, intermediate water, transformed Atlantic water, and Atlantic water. In June 2014, was recorded the situation when Atlantic waters occupied the entire water area of Isfjord and Grönfjord. In summer in Billefjorden were identified 4 types of masses: surface water, intermediate water, local water, and winter water. In Isfjorden, new maximum temperature of Atlantic water was observed (6.85 °С) in summer 2016. It is greater on almost 0.5 °С than previous warmest peak in 2006. The maximum average values of water temperature, heat content in the upper 40 m layer were recorded in 2016. The summer 2016 was the warmest in Isfjorden, Billefjorden and Grönfjorden during the survey period.

About the Authors

E. V. Bloshkina
State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



K. V. Filchuk
State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation

St. Petersburg



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Review

For citations:


Bloshkina E.V., Filchuk K.V. The present water masses conditions of West Spitsbergen fjords. Arctic and Antarctic Research. 2018;64(2):125-140. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30758/0555-2648-2018-64-2-125-140

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ISSN 0555-2648 (Print)
ISSN 2618-6713 (Online)