Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection

SHI Wenqi; ZHAO Jinping

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SHI Wenqi, ZHAO Jinping. Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2012, 34(6): 19-29.

Citation:

SHI Wenqi, ZHAO Jinping. Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2012, 34(6): 19-29.

SHI Wenqi, ZHAO Jinping. Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2012, 34(6): 19-29.

Citation:

SHI Wenqi, ZHAO Jinping. Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2012, 34(6): 19-29.

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Analysis of possible effects of various water masses in Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea isopycnal cabbeling convection

Key Laboractory of Physical Oceanography, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China

Received Date: 2012-02-20
Rev Recd Date: 2012-05-12

Abstract

Abstract

In Greenland sea,the convection produced by isopycnal cabbeling is an important type of convection. The Arctic Ocean is experiencing intense and rapid changes, in which the changes of water masses and circulation system will alter isopycnal cabbeling convection of Greenland Sea, and further affect the Global climate system. Previous researches on isopycnal cabbeling convection are few, most of them focus on convective regions. As in Greenland Sea,Recirculating Atlantic Water and water masses from Arctic Ocean are the main water masses that involved in the cabbeling convection, so the purpose of this paper is to discuss the possible effects of various water masses in different regions of Arctic Ocean to Greenland Sea cabbeling convection. In this paper, effective cabbeling convection velocity is defined. It's emphasized that horizontal temperature gradient and vertical stratification intensit is determinant to cabbeling velocity. And greater temperature gradient and weaker stratification intensity will lead to intenser convection. In Greenland sea, various water masses involved in the isopycnal cabbeling convection all originate from Atlantic Ocean. Some of them are Recirculating Atlantic Water recirculating in Greenland Sea, the others are Atlantic Water of Arctic which experience recirculating and diving in Arctic Ocean. If the later water masses stay in the Arctic Ocean longer, the temperature gradient will be greater, and the convection will be intenser. While, the water masses from Pacific Ocean which cross the Arctic Ocean could not be involved in isopycnal cabbeling convection for its low density. In the Arctic Mediterranean, deep-water temperature varies between the different basins, so these deep water masses may produce Effective Cabbeling Convection through mixing with Greenland Sea Deep Water. But in the deep and bottom layer of ocean, the current velocity is low, turbulent mixing is weak and temperature gradiant is small, so at present it's not sure whether the convection exists.
- isopycnal cabbeling convection,
- Arctic Ocean,
- Greenland Sea,
- East Greenland Polar Front,
- effective cabbeling convection velocity

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