The Chukchi slope current

Corlett, W. Bryce; Pickart, Robert S.

doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2017.04.005

Cited by 142 publications

(250 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…A total of nine sites had moorings; some for only 1 year and one (C2) for 5 years. The annual mean velocities (Figure a) indicate a flow pattern similar to that observed in the drifter trajectories representing just the summer: strong flow in the vicinity of Barrow Canyon (C4 and C5); eastward flow along the Icy Cape transect (C1, C2, and C3); a well‐defined Chukchi Slope Current (C9) (Corbett & Pickart, ); and weak eastward flow north of Hanna Shoal (C7 and C8) and southeast of Hanna Shoal (C6). Flow measured at the eight sites on the shelf fall into three groups: the Icy Cape line (C1, C2, and C3); the moorings along the coast (C1, C4, and C5); and the three moorings (C6, C7, and C8) nearer Hanna Shoal.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 63%

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Flow Patterns in the Eastern Chukchi Sea: 2010–2015

et al. 2018

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From 2010 to 2015, moorings were deployed on the northern Chukchi Sea at nine sites. Deployment duration varied from 5 years at a site off Icy Cape to 1 year at a site north of Hanna Shoal. In addition, 39 satellite‐tracked drifters (drogue depth 25–30 m) were deployed in the region during 2012–2015. The goals of this manuscript are to describe currents in the Chukchi Sea and their relationship to ice and winds. The north‐south pressure gradient results in, on average, a northward flow over the Chukchi shelf, which is modified by local winds. The volume transport near Icy Cape (∼0.4 Sv) was ∼40% of flow through Bering Strait and varied seasonally, accounting for >50% of summer and ∼20% of winter transport in Bering Strait. Current direction was strongly influenced by bathymetry, with northward flow through the Central Channel and eastward flow south of Hanna Shoal. The latter joined the coastal flow exiting the shelf via Barrow Canyon. Drifter trajectories indicated the transit from Bering Strait to the mouth of Barrow Canyon took ∼90 days during the ice‐free season. Most (∼70%) of the drifters turned westward at the mouth of Barrow Canyon and continued westward in the Chukchi Slope Current. This slope flow was largely confined to the upper 300 m, and although it existed year‐round, it was strongest in spring and summer. Drifter trajectories indicated that the Chukchi Slope Current extends as far west as the mouth of Herald Canyon. The remaining ∼30% of the drifters turned eastward or were intercepted by sea ice.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Data from C9 are the first mooring data measuring the Chukchi Slope Current (Corbett & Pickart, ). The current meter data together with the drifter trajectories reveal a well‐defined, persistent westward flow along the shelf.…”

Section: Discussion and Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow Patterns in the Eastern Chukchi Sea: 2010–2015

et al. 2018

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“…Surface waters exit through the Canadian Archipelago and at Fram Strait. (b) Schematic of the circulation of the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea (reproduced from Corlett & Pickart, ). Maps were generated using ocean data view (Schlitzer, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Properties of the Arctic Halocline and Deep Water Masses of the Canada Basin from Nitrate Isotope Ratios

et al. 2018

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Nitrogen is a limiting nutrient for primary production in the western Arctic Ocean. Measurements of the nitrogen (15N/14N) and oxygen (18O/16O) isotope ratios of nitrate in the southeastern Beaufort Sea provide insight into biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen in the western Arctic Ocean. Nitrate O isotope ratios in the Pacific halocline evidence a highly regenerated reservoir. Coincident peaks in nutrient concentrations and reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations suggest that nitrate accrues from organic matter remineralization in bottom waters of the Chukchi shelf and that these ventilate the basin predominantly in summer, when isolated from the atmosphere. Preformed nitrate in Pacific Winter Water lacks 18O/16O elevation from nitrate assimilation, contrasting with preformed nitrate in other ocean regions. A reactive N deficit and elevated nitrate N isotope ratios in the Pacific halocline further indicate substantial N loss to coupled nitrification‐denitrification in shelf sediments upstream. In the Atlantic Water below, nitrate isotope ratios identify two distinct waters entering the Arctic at Fram Strait, from (1) the surface West Spitsbergen Current, bearing isotopic signatures akin to North Atlantic waters, and (2) deeper inflows of waters ventilated in the Nordic Seas, transporting nitrate O isotope ratios indicative of regenerated nitrate. Poorly ventilated Canada Basin Deep Water shows evidence of nominal accrual of remineralized products, and nitrate isotope ratios suggest an influence of slow benthic denitrification on the sea floor. The observations reveal that shelf processes have a disproportionate influence on tracer properties of the Pacific halocline, while those in Atlantic Water are dominated by processes in the Nordic Seas.

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“…These general circulation features are shown in Figure a. Some of the water that flows through Herald Canyon travels along the Chukchi shelfbreak from west to east, forming a shelfbreak jet (Corlett & Pickart, ; Li et al, ; Mathis et al, ; Pickart et al, , ). Recently, it was discovered that much of the outflow from Barrow Canyon is steered to the left and forms the westward flowing Chukchi Slope Current, offshore of the shelfbreak jet (Corlett & Pickart, ; Li et al, ; Spall et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of the water that flows through Herald Canyon travels along the Chukchi shelfbreak from west to east, forming a shelfbreak jet (Corlett & Pickart, ; Li et al, ; Mathis et al, ; Pickart et al, , ). Recently, it was discovered that much of the outflow from Barrow Canyon is steered to the left and forms the westward flowing Chukchi Slope Current, offshore of the shelfbreak jet (Corlett & Pickart, ; Li et al, ; Spall et al, ). Eddies transporting shelf‐influenced waters into the Canada Basin are also common (Mathis et al, ; Muench et al, ; Pickart et al, ; Spall et al, ; Timmermans et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shelf‐Basin Interactions and Water Mass Residence Times in the Western Arctic Ocean: Insights Provided by Radium Isotopes

et al. 2019

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Radium isotopes are produced through the decay of thorium in sediments and are soluble in seawater; thus, they are useful for tracing ocean boundary‐derived inputs to the ocean. Here we apply radium isotopes to study continental inputs and water residence times in the Arctic Ocean, where land‐ocean interactions are currently changing in response to rising air and sea temperatures. We present the distributions of radium isotopes measured on the 2015 U.S. GEOTRACES transect in the Western Arctic Ocean and combine this data set with historical radium observations in the Chukchi Sea and Canada Basin. The highest activities of radium‐228 were observed in the Transpolar Drift and the Chukchi shelfbreak jet, signaling that these currents are heavily influenced by interactions with shelf sediments. The ventilation of the halocline with respect to inputs from the Chukchi shelf occurs on time scales of ≤19–23 years. Intermediate water ventilation time scales for the Makarov and Canada Basins were determined to be ~20 and >30 years, respectively, while deep water residence times in these basins were on the order of centuries. The radium distributions and residence times described in this study serve as a baseline for future studies investigating the impacts of climate change on the Arctic Ocean.

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The Chukchi slope current

Cited by 142 publications

References 44 publications

Flow Patterns in the Eastern Chukchi Sea: 2010–2015

Flow Patterns in the Eastern Chukchi Sea: 2010–2015

On the Properties of the Arctic Halocline and Deep Water Masses of the Canada Basin from Nitrate Isotope Ratios

Shelf‐Basin Interactions and Water Mass Residence Times in the Western Arctic Ocean: Insights Provided by Radium Isotopes

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