CLIMATIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE FRESH WATER EXPANSION IN THE GREENLAND SEA AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC

Abstract

In second part of XX century there are three valuable salinity anomalies in North Atlantic, so-called «The Great Salinity Anomaly» (GSA), which can be characterized as a large, near-surface pool of fresher water [31–33, 36, 37]. There are GSA’70s, GSA’80s and GSA’90s. Dickson [37] described this event as one of dramatic and prolonged changes in ocean’s climate in XX century. In this paper, we have shown genesis of GSA’70s connected with ice production in Arctic flaw leads. Formation of GSAs’ in 1980s and 1990s has, at least, two main reasons. First is fresh water pools and huge amounts of ice carried out fromArcticBasin. The second one is recirculation of previous salinity anomaly inSubarcticBasin. Phenomenological model of climate change formation in polar and subpolar zone of North Hemisphere is presented in the paper. Examination conditions of previous GSA’s appearance and analysis of valuable fresh water intrusions in North Atlantic allow us to conclude that conditions for GSA’2010s are formed already and started to propagate inNorth Atlantic. For the first time we described GSA during its appearance, not post factum. Thus, we are standing at the break point of relatively long cooling inArctic.

Keywords

• атлантика, гренландское море, климат, ледовитость, полынья, северный ледовитый океан, соленосная аномалия, тренды.