Pavlov arui Pavlov: Features of Seasonal and Interannual Variability ofthe Sea Level
9
the level can reach July values. From December to April the sea level slowly decreases
everywhere.
The seasonal variability of sea level correlates well with the seasonal density variability
(Figure 2). This suggests the probable causes for the seasonal level differences in the shelf zone
of the Laptev Sea to be summer heating and intense freshening of sea water by a strong
continental outflow and melting of drifting and fast ice. The hydrostatic component of the \evel,
connected with the local density change, is not large, being not more than 5 cm at small depths
(Dvorkin et aI., 1978). However changes in the integral circulation of the Laptev Sea due to the
seasonal modification in the thermohaline water circulation pattern, induced by a sharp increase
in sea water density in summer, can result in significant seasonal level oscillations up to several
tens of centimeters.
Lsum-Lwin (em)
35
•
30
•
•
25
20
15 -
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
10
--- T--r--,----~I ----, -
I -T -
70.00
7200
7400
76.00
•
•
78.00
•
8000
Latitude
Figure 3: The seasonal difference of the sea level depending on the location (latitude) of observation stations in
the Laptev Sea.
This is clearly shown by diagnostic calculations of the surface level of the Laptev Sea, based
on averaged density fields for the summer and winter season (Figure 4 A).
The results from modeling seasonal variability of the surface level of the Laptev Sea by use of
mean monthly wind stress fields (Figure 4 B) show that the values of the barotropic level
components are much less than baroclinic. The contribution of each of these components to the
total calculated sea level and its comparison with the real seasonal variability at 6 points of the
Laptev Sea is presented in Figure 5. Calculation results revealed predominant influence of
thermohaline processes on the seasonal variability of the sea level. General features of the
seasonal variability obtained in the result of calculations nearly everywhere correspond to the
observation data (see Figure 5) with the exception of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago (the
Maliy Taimyr station), where the seasonal variability of the sea level associated with
thermohaline ocean circulation is reverse to the observation data.
9
the level can reach July values. From December to April the sea level slowly decreases
everywhere.
The seasonal variability of sea level correlates well with the seasonal density variability
(Figure 2). This suggests the probable causes for the seasonal level differences in the shelf zone
of the Laptev Sea to be summer heating and intense freshening of sea water by a strong
continental outflow and melting of drifting and fast ice. The hydrostatic component of the \evel,
connected with the local density change, is not large, being not more than 5 cm at small depths
(Dvorkin et aI., 1978). However changes in the integral circulation of the Laptev Sea due to the
seasonal modification in the thermohaline water circulation pattern, induced by a sharp increase
in sea water density in summer, can result in significant seasonal level oscillations up to several
tens of centimeters.
Lsum-Lwin (em)
35
•
30
•
•
25
20
15 -
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
10
--- T--r--,----~I ----, -
I -T -
70.00
7200
7400
76.00
•
•
78.00
•
8000
Latitude
Figure 3: The seasonal difference of the sea level depending on the location (latitude) of observation stations in
the Laptev Sea.
This is clearly shown by diagnostic calculations of the surface level of the Laptev Sea, based
on averaged density fields for the summer and winter season (Figure 4 A).
The results from modeling seasonal variability of the surface level of the Laptev Sea by use of
mean monthly wind stress fields (Figure 4 B) show that the values of the barotropic level
components are much less than baroclinic. The contribution of each of these components to the
total calculated sea level and its comparison with the real seasonal variability at 6 points of the
Laptev Sea is presented in Figure 5. Calculation results revealed predominant influence of
thermohaline processes on the seasonal variability of the sea level. General features of the
seasonal variability obtained in the result of calculations nearly everywhere correspond to the
observation data (see Figure 5) with the exception of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago (the
Maliy Taimyr station), where the seasonal variability of the sea level associated with
thermohaline ocean circulation is reverse to the observation data.