Version 1
: Received: 28 July 2023 / Approved: 31 July 2023 / Online: 31 July 2023 (11:36:03 CEST)
How to cite:
Bulczak, A.I.I. Vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current and its relationship to the altimetry-derived surface geostrophic currents.. Preprints2023, 2023072089. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202307.2089.v1
Bulczak, A.I.I. Vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current and its relationship to the altimetry-derived surface geostrophic currents.. Preprints 2023, 2023072089. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202307.2089.v1
Bulczak, A.I.I. Vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current and its relationship to the altimetry-derived surface geostrophic currents.. Preprints2023, 2023072089. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202307.2089.v1
APA Style
Bulczak, A.I.I. (2023). Vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current and its relationship to the altimetry-derived surface geostrophic currents.. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202307.2089.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Bulczak, A.I.I. 2023 "Vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current and its relationship to the altimetry-derived surface geostrophic currents." Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202307.2089.v1
Abstract
The altimeter-derived ocean currents have been sparsely evaluated against in situ measurements in the Arctic, particularly for extended time periods. This study uses the extensive mooring array situated in the Fram Strait, representing one of the longest ocean current records, to investigate the relationship between in situ and satellite-derived currents in the region. The primary objective of this research is to analyze the vertical structure of the West Spitsbergen Current (WSC), its spatio-temporal coherence, and its association with surface geostrophic currents during the period of 1997-2012. To assess the vertical structure of the WSC, we utilized the Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) and cross-correlation analysis between neighboring moorings. Remarkably, both velocity components exhibited robust vertical coherence, particularly within the waters of the North Atlantic Inflow, at depths exceeding 800 m. These findings underscore the potential for surface measurements to effectively complement data gaps and facilitate the reconstruction of deeper currents with a monthly temporal resolution. Notably, the surface measurements explain approximately 67% of the variance in the top 800 m of the water column.This comprehensive investigation advances our understanding of the West Spitsbergen Current and its vertical characteristics in the Arctic. Moreover, our findings highlight the valuable synergy between in situ and satellite-derived data, providing critical insights for future ocean current studies in this ecologically sensitive region.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
