A Dynamical Model of the Beaufort Gyre: A Balance

between Ekman Pumping and Eddy Fluxes

Jiayan Yang & Andrey Proshutinsky

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
(jyang@whoi.edu)

2nd FAMOS Workshop, Woods Hole, MA, Oct. 23-25, 2013

 Schematic of Arctic Ocean Circulation

(http://www.whoi.edu/cms/images/oceanus)
Beaufort Gyre
 y
wind

Ekman
Transport

Ekman
pumping

BUT in the Arctic Ocean, there are some major

uncertainties about the Beaufort Gyre dynamics:

The 0th order dynamics of a mid-latitude gyre: - does the Sverdrup balance work?

- what is the removal mechanism for the

low-salinity water-mass that has been
accumulated by the Ekman pumping?

- how the gyre is closed without a

western boundary (in terms of PV,
volume and momentum fluxes)
Beaufort Gyre Observing System
(BGOS) 2003 - present
Summer 2003-2012
freshwater content in the
BG region based on the
Beaufort Gyre Observing
System data.

During 2003-2012, the

Freshwater content in the
region has increased by
5200 cubic kilometers.
 (u1,v1)

(u2,v2)

A two-layer model used by Yang and Pratt (2013) for Nordic Seas Overflow

du1 t
+ f k ´ u1 = -gÑh - AÑ 4 u1 +
dt r1h1
du 2 Dr l | u2 | u2
+ f k ´ u 2 = -gÑ(h + h2 ) - AÑ 4 u2 -
dt r2 h2
¶h
+ Ñ × (h1 u1 + h2 u2 ) = 0
¶t
¶h2
+ Ñ × (h2 u2 ) = 0
¶t
 The model is forced by daily surface stress

  (1   ) wind    ice water

Forcing data: ice concentration  (NASA/GSFC), and ice velocity (NSIDC) and
surface wind stress (NCEP-NCAR)
The model simulates the rapid increase
of the FW from 2003 to 2008;

The upward trend seems to stop (or

slow down) after 2008;

Would the upward trend start again if

the forcing changes?

Eddies seemed to be more abundant

after 2008.

What role did eddies play?

And more fundamentally, what is the

0th order dynamical balance that
maintains the Beaufort Gyre?
 North Pole

Canada Basin

Eddy fluxes
 value of  at 45N

Inserting a western boundary

An Active role of eddies in the Arctic Ocean:

U  q    U'q'  k     k    F

Mean vorticity convergence of wind-stress curl frictional torque
Advection eddy vorticity flux

A1 A2 A3 A4


Eddy-resolving runs:   U ' q'  k   


Coarse resolutions: k  (    F)  0

(balance between surface and bottom Ekman layers)
Summary:

(1)The main dynamical balance that maintains the Beaufort Gyre is

between the surface wind-stress curl (Ekman pumping) and eddy
PV fluxes;

(2) Eddies also play a leading role in volume-transport balance, and they
are likely the main removal mechanism for the accumulated fresh
water in BG ;

(3) Eddies are formed when the BG intensifies, the isopycnal steepens and
becomes baroclinically unstable.

(4) Eddy fluxes may have slowed down the upward trend in FW accumulation
in BG.