A warm jet in a cold ocean.

摘要: Unprecedented quantities of heat are entering the Pacific sector Arctic Ocean through Bering Strait, particularly during summer months. Though some is lost to atmosphere autumn cooling, a significant fraction incoming warm, salty water subducts (dives beneath) below cooler fresher layer near-surface water, subsequently extending hundreds kilometers into Beaufort Gyre. Upward turbulent mixing these sub-surface pockets likely accelerating sea ice melt in region. This Pacific-origin brings both and unique biogeochemical properties, contributing changing ecosystem. However, our ability understand or forecast role this mass has been hampered by lack understanding physical processes controlling subduction evolution warm water. Crucially, seen here occur at small horizontal scales not resolved regional models climate simulations; new parameterizations must be developed that accurately represent physics. Here we present novel high resolution observations showing detailed process initial southern Warming ocean plays melt. authors origin diving beneath surface, explore dynamical governing its evolution.