Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Interaction between Baltic Sea and North Sea

Wechselwirkungen zwischen Ostsee und Nordsee

  • Interaction with the Baltic Sea
  • Published:
Deutsche Hydrografische Zeitschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The water exchange between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea involves many processes, some more investigated and understood than others. However, the processes that are of major importance are quite well known. The aim of the present paper is to review current knowledge about the water exchange. It is known that freshwater input to the Baltic Sea and the strength of the oscillating flows across the sills of the Danish Straits both have a large impact on the salinity of the Baltic Sea. This is demonstrated using a simple analytical model. The dynamics of the outflow from the Skagerrak by the Norwegian Coastal Current are discussed in some detail. Especially the importance of wind forced currents on the magnitude of the outflow is demonstrated.

Zusammenfassung

Der Wasseraustausch zwischen Ostsee und Nordsee enthÄlt viele Prozesse, von denen einige mehr erforscht und verstanden sind als andere. Jedoch können Prozesse von gro\er Bedeutung als bekannt vorausgesetzt werden. Das Anliegen dieser Arbeit ist es, einen überblick über den gegenwÄrtigen Wissensstand über den Wasseraustausch zu geben. Es ist bekannt, da\ der Sü\wassereintrag in die Ostsee und die IntensitÄt wechselnder Strömungen über die Schwellen in den dÄnischen GewÄssern einen gro\en Einflu\ auf den Salzgehalt der Ostsee haben. Dieses wird mit Hilfe eines einfachen analytischen Modells gezeigt. Die Dynamik des Ausstroms vom Skagerak mit dem norwegischen Küstenstrom wird im Detail erörtert. Insbesondere wird die Beduetung der winderzeugten Strömungen für die StÄrke des Ausstroms gezeigt.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson, L. andL. Rydberg, 1993: Exchange of water and nutrients between the Skagerrak and the Kattegat. Estuarine,Coastal and Shelf Sci.,36, 159–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous, 1995: Baltic Sea Experiment (BALTEX), In- itial Implementation Plan. International Baltex Secreta- riat, Pub. No 2.

  • Aure, J. andR. SÆtre, 1981: Wind effects on the Ska- gerrak outflow, In: R. SÆtre and M. Mork. The Norwe- gian Coastal Current. University Press, Bergen, Norway, 263–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergström, S. andB. Carlsson, 1994: River runoff to the Baltic Sea: 1950–1990.Ambio,23, No. 4–5, 280–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danielssen, D. S., L. Davidsson, L. Edler, E. Fogelqvist, S. Fonselius, L. Föyn, L. Hernroth, B. H∟ansson, I. Olsson andE. Svendsen, 1991: SKAGEX: Some preli- minary results. Ices Statuary Meeting, CM. 1991/C:2.

  • Danielssen, D.S., L. Edler, S. Fonselius, L. Hernroth, M. Ostrowski andE. Svendsen, 1997: Oceanographic variability in Skagerrak/northern Kattegat, May–June 1990. ICESJ. Mar. Sci., in press.

  • Dooley, H. D. andG. K. Furnes, 1981: Influence of the wind field on the transport of the northern North Sea, In: R. SÆtre and M. Mork. The Norwegian Coastal Cur- rent. University Press, Bergen, Norway, 57–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eilola, K., 1997: Development of a spring thermocline at temperatures below the temperature of maximum den- sity with application to the Baltic Sea.J. Geophys. Res.,102:C4, 8657–8662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonselius, S. H., 1969: Hydrography of the Baltic Deep Basins III. Fishery Board of Sweden.Series Hydro- graphy, Report 23, 97 pp.

  • Furnes, G. K., 1983: A three-dimensional numerical sea model with eddy viscosity varying piecewise linearly in the vertical.Cont. Shelf Res.,2, 231–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gustafsson, B. andA. Stigebrandt, 1996: Dynamics of the freshwater-influenced surface layers in the Ska-gerrak.J. Sea Res.,35, 39–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huber, K., E. Kleine, H-U Lass andW. MatthÄus, 1994: The major Baltic inflow in January 1993 — Measure- ments and modelling results.Dt. Hydrogr. Z.,46, 2, 103–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Håkansson, B., B. Broman andH. Dahlin, 1993: The in- flow of water and salt in the sound during the Baltic major inflow event in January 1993. Ices Statuary Mee- ting, CM. 1993/C:57.

  • Ikeda, M., J. A. Johannessen, K. Lygre andS. Sandven, 1989: A process study of mesoscale meanders and ed- dies in the Norwegian Coastal Current,J. Phys. Ocea- nogr.,19, 20–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobsen, T. S., 1980: The Belt Project: Sea water exchange of the Baltic — measurements and methods. National Agency of Environmental Protection, Den- mark, 106 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen, F., 1995: The major inflow to the Baltic Sea du- ring January 1993.J. Mar. Sys.,6, 227–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen, F., 1997: Hydrographic investigation of the Northern Kattegat front,Cont. Shelf Res.,17, No. 5, 533–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen, F. andS. Castejon, 1995: Calculation of the discharge through 0resund at the Drogden Sill by mea-surements at two fixed stations.Nordic Hydrology,26, 237–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen, F. andM. J. Lintrup, 1996: The exchange of water and salt across the Drogden Sill in Øresund Sep- tember 1993 – November 1994.Nordic Hydrology,27, 351–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, T. andS. Jonsson, 1987: Measurements and analyses of currents along the Danish west coast.Dt. Hydrogr. Z.40, 193–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johannessen, J. A., E. Svendsen, S. Sandven, O. M. Jo- hannessen andK. Lygre, 1989: Three-dimensional structure of mesoscale eddies in the Norwegian Coastal Current.J. Phys. Oceanogr.,19, 3–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knudsen, M., 1899: De hydrografiske forhold i de danske farvande indenfor Skagen i 1894–98.(The hydrographic conditions in the Danish waters inside Skagen in 1894– 98),Komm. For Vidensk. Unders. I de danske far- vande,2:2, 19–79. (In Danish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Köuts, T. andA. Omstedt, 1993: Deep water exchange in the Baltic Proper.Tellus,45A, 311–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lass, H. U., 1988: A theoretical study of the barotropic water exchange between the North Sea and the Baltic and the sea level variations of the Baltic.Beitr. Mee- reskd., Berlin,58, 19–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lass, H. U., R. Schwabe, W. MatthÄus andE. Francke, 1987: On the dynamics of water exchange between Baltic and North Sea.Beitr. Meereskd., Berlin,56, 27–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann, A., 1995: A three-dimensional baroclinic eddy- resolving model of the Baltic Sea.Tellus,47A, 1013–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liljebladh, B. andA. Stigebrandt, 1996: Observations of the deepwater flow into the Baltic Sea.J. Geophys. Res.,101:C4, 8895–8911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LjØen, R. andR. SÆtre, 1985: Outflow of Skagerrak water to the North Sea during the summer 1984. Ices Statuary Meeting, C.M. 1985/C:21, 6pp.

  • MatthÄus, W. andH. Franck, 1992: Characteristics of major Baltic inflows — a statistical analysis.Cont. Shelf Res.,12, No. 12, 1375–1400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MatthÄus, W., H. U. Lass andR. Tiesel, 1993: The major Baltic inflow in January 1993. Ices Statuary Meeting, C.M. 1993/C:51.

  • MatthÄus, W., andH. U. Lass, 1995: The recent salt inflow into the Baltic Sea.J. Phys. Oceanogr.,25, 280–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattsson, J., 1995: Observed linear flow resistance in the öresund due to rotation.J. Geophys. Res.,100:C10, 20779–20791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattsson, J., 1996a: Some comments on the barotropic flow through the Danish Straits and the division of the flow between the Belt Sea and the vresund.Tellus,48A, 456–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattsson, J., 1996b: Analysis of the exchange of salt be- tween the Baltic and the Kattegat through the vresund using a three-layer model.J. Geophys. Res.,101:C7, 16571–16584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClimans, T. A., 1985: Forecasting ocean currents of the Northern North Sea. Norwegian Hydrotechnic La- boratory, Trondheim, Norway, Video, Proj. no. 603600.

  • Mork, M., 1981: Circulation phenomena and frontal dyna- mics of the Norwegian coastal current.Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.,A 302, 635–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möller, P. andA. Svansson, 1978. Investigations in the Northern Kattegat during the International JONSDAP- 76 period INOUT, March–April 1976.- Meddelande från Havsfiskelaboratoriet — Lysekil, Report no. 243: 20pp.

  • North Sea Task Force, 1993: North Sea. Subregion 8. Assessment Report 1993. State Pollution Control Moni- toring. Oslo, 79 pp.

  • Omstedt, A., 1987: Water cooling in the entrance of the Baltic Sea.Tellus,39A, 254–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omstedt, A., 1990 Modelling the Baltic Sea as thirteen sub-basins with vertical resolution.Tellus,42A, 286–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omstedt, A. andL. Nyberg, 1996: Response of Baltic Sea ice to seasonal, interannual forcing and climate change.Tellus,48A, 644–662.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omstedt, A., L. Meuller andL. Nyberg, 1997: Interan- nual, seasonal and regional variations of precipitation and evaporation over the Baltic Sea.Ambio,26, 8, 484–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, F. B. andJ. S. MØller, 1981: Diversion of the river Neva, How will it influence the Baltic Sea, the Belts and Cattegat.Nordic Hydrology,12, 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, F. B., 1993: Fronts in the Kattegat: The hydro- dynamic regulating factor for biology.Estuaries,16, 1, 104–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, B., 1995: Stratification and wind mixing in the Southern Kattegat.Ophelia,42, 319–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, B., 1997: The near-surface horizontal buoyancy flux in a highly stratified region, Kattegat.Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Sci., in press.

  • Rodhe, J., 1987: The large-scale circulation in the Ska- gerrak, interpretation of some observations.Tellus,39A, 245–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodhe, J., 1989: The large-scale mixing and estuarine cir- culation in the Skagerrak; calculations from observations of salinity and velocity fields.Tellus,41 A, 436–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodhe, J., 1996: On the dynamics of the large-scale cir- culation of the Skagerrak.J. Sea Res.,35, 9–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rydberg, L., J. Haamer, O. Liungman, 1996: Fluxes of water and nutrients within and into the Skagerrak.J. Sea Res.,35, 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samuelsson, M., 1996: Interannual salinity variations in the Baltic Sea during the period 1954–1990.Cont. Shelf Res.,16, No. 11, 1463–1477.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sayin, E. andW. Krauss, 1996: A numerical study of the water exchange through the Danish Straits.Tellus,48A, 324–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1980: Barotropic and baroclinic res- ponse of a semi-enclosed basin to barotropic forcing from the sea. In: H. J. Freeland, D. M. Farmer and C.D. Levings. Fjord Oceanography, New York: Plenum, 151–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1983: A model for the exchange of water and salt between the Baltic and the Skagerrak.J. Phys. Oceanogr.,13, No. 3, 411–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1984: A model for the estuarine circula- tion in the Skagerrak, Troll field engineering studies: Oceanographic support work — Task Report 3, OTTER Report STF88 F84017. Proprietary NHL., Trondheim: 43pp.

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1985a: A model for the seasonal pycno- cline in rotating systems with application to the Baltic proper.J. Phys. Oceanogr.,15, No. 11, 1392–1404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1985b: On the outflow of brackish water from the Skagerrak, Troll field engineering studies: Oceanographic support work stage 2 — Task Report 2, OTTER Report STF60 F85002. Proprietary NHL., Trondheim: 50pp.

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1987a: Computations of the flow of dense water into the Baltic Sea from hydrographical measurements in the Arkona Basin.Tellus,39A, 170–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1987b: A model for the vertical circula- tion of the Baltic deep water.J. Phys. Oceanogr.,17, 1772–1785.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1992: Bridge-induced flow reduction in sea straits with reference to effects of a planned bridge across öresund.Ambio,21, 130–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigebrandt, A., 1995: The large-scale vertical circulation of the Baltic Sea. In: A. Omstedt (editor) First study con- ference on BALTEX, Conference proceedings, Interna- tional Baltex secretariat, Pub. 3.

  • Stigebrandt, A. andF. Wulff, 1987: A model for the dy- namics of nutrients and oxygen in the Baltic proper.J. Mar. Res.,45, 729–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Svansson, A., 1975: Physical and chemical oceano- graphy of the Skagerrak and the Kattegat, 1. Open sea conditions. Fishery Board of Sweden, Mar. Res. Inst., Report 1: 1–88.

  • Svendsen, E., J. Berntsen, M. Skogen, B. ålandsvik andE. Martinsen, 1996: Model simulation of the Skagerrak circulation and hydrography during Skagex.J. Mar. Sy- stem,8, 219–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • SÆtre, R., J. Aure andR. LjØen, 1988. Wind effects on the lateral extension of the Norwegian Coastal Water.Cont. Shelf Res.,8, 239–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walin, G., 1981: On the deep water flow into the Baltic.Geophysica,17, 75–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winkel-Steinberg, N., J. O. Backhaus andT. Pohlmann, 1991: On the estuarine circulation within the Kattegat. In: Prandle, D. (editor): Dynamics and exchanges in estuaries and the coastal zone. New York: Springer, 231–251.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oceanography, Earth Sciences Center, Göteborg University, S-413 81, Göteborg

    Bo Gustafsson

Authors
  1. Bo Gustafsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gustafsson, B. Interaction between Baltic Sea and North Sea. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 49, 165–183 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02764031

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02764031

Keywords

Search

Navigation