1. Arctic Currents Danni Walser, Emily Bakker, Emma Heron,
Haley Wilcox, Lauren Levesque

2. Types of Arctic Currents
Warm Water Currents
North Atlantic
Irminger
Norwegian / North Cape
Cold Water Currents
Labrador
Beaufort Gyre
Transpolar Drift
East Greenland

3. Surface and Deep Currents
Lower layer ocean currents
Cold temperature
High salt concentration
Density
Surface currents
Circulate ice caps
Generated by winds
Circulation

4. Salinity Plays A Roll Concentration Halocline layer Two layered system
Concentration
Two layered system
Caused by release of sea salt
Halocline layer
Slow moving, non-freezing
Less nutrients
Concentration plays a roll in the formation of a two layered system that is mostly specific to the arctic waters. The first layer is a thin less dense surface layer that resides just below the polar ice and is on average about 50m deep. As you can see in the diagram this first layer is the cold, fresh water layer. The second layer is a dense layer of relative high salinity. This second layer is formed when sea salt is being released as ice is forming on the surface. Since the released salt causes the surrounding water to have a higher salt concentration it becomes more dense. The water sinks and forms a layer that is called a Halocline layer. This halocline layer, although dense and slow-moving, it is just that, moving, it provides a constant flow of water because it cannot freeze. The above thin fresh water layer can freeze and may at times interfere with surface currents.
The halocline layer being of relative higher salt concentration lass less nutrients and makes it hard for animals to live in this environment.
As can been seen in this diagram where temperature is represented by red and salinity is shown in blue. The first 50m of water is cold and less salty. The halocline area is represented by the area at about m just like the previous picture, but this graph goes much deeper into the ocean after that than the first picture. The halocline here is where the graph moves sharply to the right. This steep concentration gradient helps in the movment of water and deep ocean currents.

5. Glaciers and Warm Water
Increased heat absorption
Summer solstice
Accelerated melting of arctic ice

6. Conclusion Intertwining currents Deep and surface currents
Ice movement
Warm versus cold
Salinity
Can help predict future cycles

7. References
Arthun M, Ingvaldsen R B, Smedsrud L H, Schrum C Deep-sea research part (8):
Cuny J, Rhines P, Niiler P, Bacon S Labrador Sea Boundary and the Fate of the Irminger Sea Water. J Phys Oceanogr. 32: Available from:
Green, C.L., Green, J.A., Bigg, G. (2011). Stimulating the impact of freshwater inputs and deep-draft icebergs formed during a MIS 6 Barents Ice Sheet collapse. Paleoceanography, 26 (2) DOI: /2010PA002088
Huang NE On surface drift currents in the ocean. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 91(01). Available from:
Naam, R. (2012). What the Hell is happening to the Arctic Sea Ice?. Scientific American.
Proshutinsky A, Bourke R, McLaughlin F The role of the Beaufort Gyre in Arctic climate variability: Seasonal to decadal climate scales. Geophys Res Lett. 29(30)2100: 15-1 – Available from: doi: /2002GL015847
Rudels B, Fahrbach E, Meincke J, Budeus G, Eriksson P The East Greenldn Current and its contribution to the Denmark Strait overflow. Ices J Mar Sci. 59: Available from: doi: /jmsc
University of Sheffield. (2011). Melting glaciers may affect ocean currents. Science Daily.
Vage K, Pickart R, Sarafanov A, Knutsen O, Mercier H, Lherminier P, Van Aken H, Meincke J, Quadfasel D, Bacon S The Irminger Gyre: Circulation, convection, and interannual variability. Elsevier. 58: Available from:

8. Arctic Currents Danni Walser, Emily Bakker, Emma Heron,
Haley Wilcox, Lauren Levesque