Beaufort Gyre Freshwater Experiment: Study of Freshwater Accumulation and Release Mechanism and the Role of Fresh Water in Arctic Climate Variability

这项研究的主要目标是调查流域规模的机制，调节淡水含量在北冰洋，特别是在博福特环流。 该研究解决了这样一个假设，即环流在反气旋（顺时针）风期间积累了来自各种来源的淡水，当风的强迫减弱或逆转到气旋（反气旋）方向时，环流就会释放这些淡水。 据进一步推测，这种积累和释放机制是负责观察到的北大西洋的盐度异常，并观察到的北极系统的十年变化。 该研究将收集新的现场数据，并将这些数据与历史数据和模型结果相结合，以测试这些假设。预期成果包括查明淡水积累、大气、水文、冰冻圈和海洋过程之间的联系，量化有关淡水通量，以及评估全球变暖条件下的控制因素。 作为一种综合机制，博福特环流的淡水含量预计将成为北冰洋对气候变化反应的主要指标。

The primary goal of this research is to investigate basin-scale mechanisms that regulate freshwater content in the Arctic Ocean, and particularly in the Beaufort Gyre. The research addresses the hypothesis that the Gyre accumulates fresh water from various sources during periods of anticyclonic (clockwise) wind forcing the then releases this fresh water when the wind forcing weakens or reverses to a cyclonic (anticlockwise) direction. It is further hypothesized that this accumulation and release mechanism is responsible for observed salinity anomalies in the North Atlantic ocean, and for an observed decadal variability of the Arctic system. The research will collect new field data and will synthesize these with historical data and model results to test these hypotheses. Expected results include identification of links among fresh water accumulation, atmospheric, hydrologic, cryospheric and oceanographic processes, quantification of the relevant fresh water fluxes, and assessment of the controlling factors under global warming conditions. As an integrating mechanism, freshwater content of the Beaufort Gyre is expected to be a primary indicator of the Arctic Ocean response to climate change.