Flow Of Atlantic Water North Of Iceland And The Associated Transport Of Heat

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The main spawning of the Icelandic cod stock occurs during spring off the southwest coast of Iceland. The eggs and larvae are subsequently carried with the Atlantic water northwards to the breeding grounds north of Iceland. The Marine Research Institute in Iceland has been monitoring the flow of water on the north Icelandic shelf at the Hornbanki section, using Aanderaa current meters on one mooring since 1994. In August 1999 three moorings were deployed along the section and recovered a year later. To estimate the proportion of Atlantic Water (AW) present at the current meters a water mass analysis was performed, using the temperature of the upstream AW from the south and colder water from the north. For this purpose measurements at standard stations were used. During the whole period about 66% of the transport consisted of AW and this was found to be 0.75 Sv. The associated heat transport relative to 0° C was 19 TW. The year 1995 was particularly dominated by cold water from the north. Generally during the latter part of the period, more AW was flowing to the north Icelandic shelf than in the years 1994–1996. Both the transport of AW and the heat transport are somewhat less than previously reported using direct current measurements.