Barents Sea research projects

Research in the Barents Sea has included the CEAREX project in 1988-89. Data from ARGOS drifters were used to study ice motion. Work on prediction of vessel icing for near-freezing sea temperatures has looked at conditions in the Barents among other areas. Other efforts have studied general circulation patterns in the region.

References

Cont. # 1039
Aagaard, K. (1989): A synthesis of the Arctic Ocean circulation .
Rapports et Procès-verbaux des Réunions, Conseil
international pour l'Exploration de la Mer, 188, 11-22.

Cont. # 1104
Overland, J.E. (1990): Prediction of vessel icing for near-freezing
sea temperatures . Weather and Forecasting, 5(1), 62-77.

Cont. # 1223
Overland, J.E., and K.L. Davidson (1992): Geostrophic drag coefficients
over sea ice . Tellus, 44A, 54-66.

Cont. # 1437
Turet, P., C.H. Pease, R.S. Pritchard, and J.E. Overland (1993): Method
for extracting tidal and inertial motion from ARGOS ice buoys applied to the
Barents Sea during CEAREX . NOAA Technical Memorandum ERL
PMEL-99 (PB93-190213), 63 pp.

Cont. # 1724
Guest, P.S., K.L. Davidson, J.E. Overland, and P.A. Frederickson (1995):
Atmosphere-ocean interactions in the Marginal Ice Zones of the Nordic Seas .
In Arctic Oceanography: Marginal Ice Zones and Continental
Shelves, Coastal and Estuarine Studies, 49, 51-95.

Cont. # 1516
Overland, J.E., P. Turet, and A.H. Oort (1996): Regional variations of moist static energy flux
into the Arctic . Journal of Climate, 9(1), 54-65.

About the Barents Sea

70 - 80 north
named after Dutch sailor Willima Barendz - who discovered in late 16th century
depth up to 600 feet
part of the Arctic Ocean - bordered by Finland, Russia and Norway, Franz Josef
Land, Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen/Bear Island
Tends to be bery cold - air temps about 40F to below zero. Water temps
a bit highter due to remnant influence of Gulf Stream
Warm water meeting cold polar air produces frequent fog
Westernmost point of seaway from Murmansk to Vladivostok
Murmansk coast tends to be relatively ice free- important to convoys
attempting to reach Russia during WWII.

Information extracted from the Standard Encyclopedia of the World's Oceans and Islands edited by Anthony Huxley. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1962