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| Data
- Overview
In order to explore our hypothesis concerning
the accumulation and release of freshwater in the Beaufort Gyre
(see Overview- Background), our investigation
consists of a combination of three approaches: observations,
historical data analysis and synthesis, and modeling.
The major goal of the observational program is to determine the variability
of different components of the BG fresh water (ocean and sea ice) system and
to assess the partial concentrations of fresh water of different origin
(rivers, Pacific Ocean, precipitation, ice/snow melt, etc). Using moorings,
drifting buoys, shipboard, and remote sensing measurements we have been
measuring time series of temperature, salinity, currents, geochemical
tracers, sea ice draft, and sea level since August 2003, to determine
freshwater content and freshwater fluxes in the BG during a complete
seasonal cycle and beyond.
The moorings will precisely measure the variations of the vertical
distribution of freshwater content and sea ice draft at representative
locations (see Methods - Instruments).
The hydrographic sections will examine the variation by radius
from the center of the BG. The remote sensing program will characterize
the variability of the sea ice thickness and sea surface height
horizontal structure.
Hydrographic timeseries plots from drifting ice beacons deployed
in August 2003 are available at: Buoy data.
Data from the moorings deployed in August 2003 and recovered
in August 2004 will soon be available at Mooring data.
Data from the 2003 hydrographic surveys (CTDs) are available at Hydrographic surveys.
The major objective of historical data analysis is to synthesize and to
integrate all available observations with modeling studies to reveal
processes, linkages and causes of variability of freshwater content and
fluxes in the Western Arctic. In 2004, we compiled and re-processed oceanic
data sets collected over the last 60 years to calculate freshwater content
and steric height in the BG region. Differences between decades indicate
pronounced changes have occurred in the state of the Beaufort Gyre system.
Results from upper ocean models are compared to the observational databases,
but do not adequately describe the changes in freshwater content.
A description and plots of these analyzed historical data are
available at: Historical and model data.
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