Investigation of the Arctic Ocean Dynamics Based on Coordinated Numerical Experiments

Theory, observations and model results allow us to conclude that both thermohaline and wind-driven forcing are important to the Arctic Ocean's dynamics and thermodynamics (hydrography and circulation). But unfortunately, the role of individual factors in the circulation and hydrographic fields cannot be easily evaluated because observed temperature and salinity distributions reflect the combined effects of wind, baroclinicity, and topographic interaction. We also know that there is insufficient observational information for clearly separating the roles of atmospheric and thermohaline forcing in the Arctic Ocean. Through numerical modeling, however, the relative strengths of the circulations and major features of hydrographic fields arising from atmospheric and thermohaline forcing can be assessed and compared. Here we will present two sets of numerical experiments showing roles of wind and thermodynamics in the shaping of arctic circulation, water temperature and salinity fields and sea ice conditions.