Oceanography, Mesostructure, and Currents of the Pacific Marginal Sea-Ice Zone - MIZPAC 75.
Abstract
Currents and complex temperature inversions observed in the Chukchi Sea during MIZPAC 75 were investigated in an effort to define the mechanisms for the formation of mesostructure. Data was collected using a conductivity-temperature-depth recorder and a Savonius rotor current meter. Whereas in previous MIZPAC cruises mesostructure was typically observed in the vicinity of ice margins, during MIZPAC 75 it was primarily found in regions of diffuse ice floes and in the open water ice-melt region up to 96 km south of the ice margin. The nature of the mesostructure varied fairly systematically with ice diffuseness and distance from the ice margin. There was little correlation of mesostructure with current direction but a possible correlation with current strength. Mesostructure existed in the same spot for as much as two days with little change, a finding of possible significance to theories of double diffusion. A highly unusual warm bottom water on the Chukchi shelf is presumed to have originated in the Atlantic Layer of the Arctic Ocean.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA032056
Entities
People
- John Alexander Roeder
- Robert G. Paquette
- Robert H. Bourke
- William John Zuberbuhler
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School