Department of Oceanography
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, CA 93943-5000

August 28, 2008

Oceanography Seminar

SPEAKER:

Dr. Ursula Shauer

AFFILIATION:

Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research

TITLE:

The changing Arctic - warmer ocean beneath thinner ice

DATE:

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

TIME:

12:00 PM

PLACE:

Spanagel 316

ABSTRACT:

Over the past decades Arctic sea ice extent decreased and also ice thickness in the eastern Eurasian Basin became in 2007 less than 1 m which is about 30% of the value in the 1970s. In the same time the temperature of the inflow from the Atlantic increased and pulses of warm water propagated along the boundary current and spread into the basins. Observations during IPY 2007 showed that the warming extends over the entire Eurasian Basin water column. From a mooring line measuring the flow through Fram Strait over 10 years oceanic heat transport to the Arctic can be derived. The heat transport will be discussed in the context with the observed Arctic Ocean warming and the ice reduction.

NOTE: Gate access requires 48 hour notice. Please notify Susan (656-2553) if you need to be placed on the gate access list. For more information about the NPS Oceanography Department Seminar Series, see http://www.oc.nps.navy.mil/seminars.