The spatial and temporal variability of the East Greenland Coastal Current from historic data

Wilkinson, David and Bacon, Sheldon (2005) The spatial and temporal variability of the East Greenland Coastal Current from historic data. Geophysical Research Letters, 32 (24), L24618-[5pp]. (doi:10.1029/2005GL024232).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Analysis of historic hydrographic data collected between 1932 and 1997 show a freshwater jet flowing southward along the East Greenland Shelf between Denmark Strait and Cape Farewell with a typical baroclinic transport of between 0.5 and 2 Sv. This jet has been labelled the East Greenland Coastal Current (EGCC). The depth of the jet is a function of transport but the lateral extent of the jet is mainly defined by the position of the shelf break. Comparing section transports from different times and locations it is seen that significant short-term variability masks both longer-term variability and latitudinal variations. The data suggest an increase in EGCC transport during the early 1930s Greenland warm period followed by reduced average fluxes thereafter but there is insufficient data for this result to be considered statistically significant. In addition there is no evidence of significant growth in the transport as the jet progresses south as might be expected with the addition of run-off from the SE Greenland fjords.

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