1. The Bering Slope Current System Revisited Gregory C
The Bering Slope Current System Revisited Gregory C. Johnson & Phyllis J. Stabeno, NOAA/PMEL Stephen C. Riser, Oceanography UW
Thanks to:
Dana Swift, Dale Ripley, Don Denbo, Kristy McTaggart and float deployers.
14 floats deployed since May 2001 (analyzed Oct 2003) in the Bering Sea yield
(1) over 22 float-years of displacement data at the 1000-dbar park pressure.
(2) 860 CTD profiles, ¼ of which approach 2000 dbar.
The profile data allow
(1) investigation into upper ocean water properties and seasonal cycle.
(2) relative geostrophic transport estimates.
The float displacement data at the 1000-dbar park pressure
(1) reveal large strong eddies at that level.
(2) allow direct estimates of velocity at that level.
Combining the geostrophic and direct velocity data in the Bering Slope Current
(1) estimates the transport above 1900 dbar as 6.0 (+/- 2.1) Sv (95% c.l).
(2) reveals that about ½ the current transport is due to the 1000-dbar velocity.

11. Conclusions Profile data reveal that
(1) temperature minimum renewal is variable on interannual time-scales.
(2) warm water of southern origin swirls cyclonically around the gyre edge.
The transport streamfunction representing the baroclinic velocity structure
(1) requires averaging to remove eddies and the seasonal cycle.
(2) estimates relative along-stream velocity in the Bering Slope Current.
Displacement vectors at 1000 dbar reveal
(1) strong eddies of large radius.
(2) significant along-stream velocity in the Bering Slope Current.
Combining relative with direct velocity estimates in the Bering Slope Current
(1) yields a transport above 1900 dbar of 6.0 (+/- 2.1) Sv (95% C.I.).
(2) shows the 1000 dbar velocity accounts for nearly half the transport.
Preprint available at
PMEL float web site