Numerical modelling of the ocean circulation in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

• Author / Creator

  Wang, Qiang

• The Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) is a complex network of straits and
  basins connecting the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the
  main pathways for freshwater outflow from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic
  Ocean. Circulation and associated variability in the CAA are examined in this
  thesis using numerical models.
  After correcting for shortwave radiation, the CAA model captures much of
  the observed spatiotemporal structure of the sea ice and ocean circulation in
  the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, especially, the southward flow in M’Clintock
  Channel and cyclonic circulation in eastern Lancaster Sound. The momentum
  balance of ocean currents is studied and we found that the southward flow in
  M’Clintock Channel is driven by ageostrophic accelerations and is controlled
  by topography. Vorticity dynamics analysis shows that both stratification
  and bathymetry have a strong impact on the circulation in eastern Lancaster
  Sound.
  We did some sensitivity experiments to study the impact of the stress on the
  volume transport through Lancaster Sound and Nares Strait. We found that
  the ice stress on the ocean in Parry Channel has a strong impact on the seasonal
  variation of volume transport through Lancaster Sound. The boundary flows
  also have a strong impact on the volume transport through Lanaster Sound
  and Nares Striat. The ice stress on the ocean in Parry Channel, stress on the
  ocean in Nares Strait, stress on the ocean in Baffin Bay all have an impact on
  the seasonal variation of volume transport through Nares Strait.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Numercial modelling
  • Canadian Arctic Archipelago
  • circulation
  • sea ice

• Graduation date

  Fall 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3T66N

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.