Heat and mass transfer across the western boundary of the Barents Sea based on ORAS5 reanalysis data
https://doi.org/10.59887/2073-6673.2025.18(4)-4
EDN: ILIEEP
Abstract
Currently, the primary drivers of ice cover variability in the Barents Sea are the influxes of Atlantic water. This study examines advective heat and mass transfer across the western boundary of the Barents Sea over the period 1993–2023, using reanalysis data from ORAS5. The heat flux through the southern segment of the section (from Bear Island to Nordkapp Cape) is estimated at 60 TW, with a volumetric water flux of 2.1 Sv. Three current branches with elevated heat flux are identified in the southern part of the section.
A significant increase in heat and mass transfer over time is observed predominantly in the southern and central branches, correlating with trends in both current velocity and water temperature. The total heat flux into the Barents Sea basin is approximately 61 TW, showing a notable positive trend of 0.03 TW per month. Trend analysis indicates that over the 31-year period, heat transport in the southern part of the section increased by about 11 TW, while the northern part saw an increase of roughly 3 TW. Consequently, there has been a substantial shift in the spatial distribution of heat transfer toward the southern coastal region of the Barents Sea.
Wavelet analysis revealed quasi-7-year synchronous oscillations in water temperature and current velocity prior to 2008, contributing to an increase in heat flux. A shift in this pattern occurred during 2008–2010, followed by a desynchronization of these parameters from 2010 to 2023, which resulted in the stabilization of heat flux at a lower level. On an intra-annual scale, the southern branch of the heat flux exhibits high variability, driven primarily by current velocity, with a winter maximum and summer minimum associated with seasonal wind circulation patterns.
Supporting agencies: This research was carried out with the support of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), grant №. 24-27-00221.
About the Author
A. A. Sokolov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
38 Berings Str., St. Petersburg, 199397
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For citations:
Sokolov A.A. Heat and mass transfer across the western boundary of the Barents Sea based on ORAS5 reanalysis data. Fundamental and Applied Hydrophysics. 2025;18(4):50-65. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.59887/2073-6673.2025.18(4)-4. EDN: ILIEEP
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