OCEANOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS AT FLETCHER'S ICE ISLAND (T-3) IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN IN 1959-1960

Abstract

Oceanographic obs rvation in the sou h rn Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean were conducted at Fletcher's Ice Island (T-3) between June 1959 and September 1960. An lysis of data on temperature, salinity, and chemical elements revealed five major water masses in his region: Arctic Surface Water, Upper Intermediate Water, Atlantic Water, Low Intermediate Water, and Deep Shelf Water. Intrusion of relatively warm Pacific Water along the 25.5 - 26.0 isopycnal surface at about 75 m was characteristic. The temperature structure of the deep water in the Beaufort Basin showed that there is a relatively warm water mass at depths below 880 m (Lo r Intermediate Water), which is warmer than bottom waters in the Atlantic Water occurring between he upper and lower 0 C isotherms (250 m and 880 m respectively) is characterized by positive temperatures, having a maximum of 0.45 C at about 450 m. Deep Shelf Water is found at 15 m to 40 m on the very shallow continental shelf, being characterized by relatively low temperatures and abundance of silicon. E SONAL CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE AND OTHER OCEANOGRAPHIC ELEMENTS IN THE SURFACE LAYER ARE DESCRIBED IN CONNECTION WITH SUMMER HEATING AND WINTER ICE FORMATION. (Au hor)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0277253

Entities

People

  • Jiro Muguruma
  • Keiji Higuchi
  • Kou Kusunoki

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arctic Ocean
  • Beaufort Sea
  • Bottom Waters
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Chemical Elements
  • Continental Shelves
  • Deep Water
  • Ice Formation
  • Isotherms
  • Low Temperature
  • Oceans
  • Surface Waters
  • Water
  • Water Masses

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Polar and Arctic Studies
  • Snow Cover Descriptors for Reptiles and Their Illustrations.