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The northwest european shelf temperature and salinity variability

VariabilitÄt der nordwesteuropÄischen Schelftemperatur und -salinitÄt

  • Interaction With The North Atlantic Ocean
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Summary

From long temperature and salinity time series of the Northwest European shelf and 39 years of numerical model transport calculations, it is possible to derive the long-term hydrographic variability of the North Sea system and its possible causes. This is shown by means of trend analyses, cross-correlations, and power spectra. Initially there is a weak linear long-term positive trend in the SST series, which is in agreement with the global warming trend. In all series investigated, several periodicities are found on corresponding band widths, and we argue that this is due to long-term oscillations in the North Atlantic circulation system and interaction with the atmosphere. Cross-correlations between Sea Surface Temperature (SST)/ Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) and some transports are significant, with time lags of about 5 to 6 years. These time lags are unexplained; we assume that differences in the subpolar and subtropical gyre circulation might be responsible. A two-year time lag between the SSS in the Rockall Channel and east of Scotland points to lateral exchanges by shear dispersion, not to advective transports. It seems that the North Sea SST longterm fluctuations are coupled to the Atlantic subpolar gyre SST variability. In contrast, the Bay of Biscay behaves very similarly to the Atlantic subtropical gyre system. The ratio between the inflow of saline Atlantic water into the North Sea and continental run-off seems to have been rather constant in the last 100 years.

Zusammenfassung

Die Analyse langer Zeitreihen von Temperatur und Salzgehalt im Bereich des europÄischen Festlandsockels und von Transportberechnungen mit Hilfe numerischer Modelle zeigt eine langperiodische VariabilitÄt des Nordsee-Systems. Mögliche Gründe sind in den langperiodischen Fluktuationen des atlantischen Zirkulationssystems und dessen Wechselwirkung mit der AtmosphÄre zu vermuten. Die Trendanalyse zeigt in allen SST-Zeitreihen einen positiven linearen Trend, dessen Grö\enordnung mit dem Trend der globalen ErwÄrmung übereinstimmt. Die Spektralanalyse zeigt in allen Zeitreihen PeriodizitÄten in sich entsprechender Bandbreite. Dies wird mit langperiodischen Oszillationen im System des Nord-Atlantiks in Verbindung gebracht. Kreuzkorrelationen zwischen SST/SSS sowie den Transporten ergeben signifikante Verschiebungen von 5 bis 6 Jahren, die bisher nicht erklÄrt sind. Wir vermuten die Ursache in Unterschieden der Zirkulation im subpolaren und subtropischen Wirbel. Eine zweijÄhrige Verschiebung des Salzgehaltssignals zwischen dem Rockall-Graben und der schottischen Ostküste deutet mehr auf laterale diffusive Austauschprozesse hin als auf advektive Transporte. Es ergeben sich Hinweise darauf, da\ die langperiodischen SST-Fluktuationen in der Nordsee mit den SST-Variationen des subpolaren Wirbels in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Im Gegensatz dazu zeigt die Zeitserie aus der Biskaya mehr Zugehörigkeit zum subtropischen Zirkulationssystem. Das VerhÄltnis des in die Nordsee einströmenden Atlantikwassers zu den kontinentalen Sü\wasserabflüssen scheint über die letzten einhundert Jahre im wesentlichen unverÄndert.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographic, Bernhard-Nocht-Stra\e 78, D-20359, Hamburg

    Gerd A. Becker

  2. Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographic, Postfach 301220, 20305, Hamburg

    Alexander Frohse

  3. Institut für Meereskunde, UniversitÄt Hamburg, Troplowitzstr. 7, D-22529, Hamburg

    Peter Damm

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  1. Gerd A. Becker
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  2. Alexander Frohse
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  3. Peter Damm
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Correspondence to Gerd A. Becker.

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Becker, G.A., Frohse, A. & Damm, P. The northwest european shelf temperature and salinity variability. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 49, 135–151 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02764029

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