Atlantic Water temperature and climate
in the Barents Sea in 2000-2009
Vladimir Boitsov, Alexey Karsakov, Alexander Trofimov
Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (PINRO)Murmansk, Russia
ICES/NAFO Symposiumon the Variability of the North Atlantic and its Marine Ecosystems during 2000-2009
10-12 May 2011, Santander, Spain
Barents Sea 2
The main paths of Atlantic waters
> 1100 timessince 1900
3Barents Sea
3
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5
1900-1909
1910-1919
1920-1929
1930-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-2009
Te
mp
era
ture
, °С
Period (years)
below average
above average
Long-term average
Decadal mean temperaturein the 0-200 m layer in the Murman
Current
warmerAtlantic waters
4.7°Cthe highest since 1900
Annual mean temperature anomaliesin the 0-200 m layer in the Murman
Current
4Barents Sea
-1.5
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Te
mp
era
ture
an
om
aly
, °C
Year
1.5 Standard deviation
0.5...1.2°Cabove average
+0.3°C(2003)
2000, 2004-2009anomalously high temperatures
2006 – historical maximum (1.2°С above average)
1.41.3
1.21.3
1.31.21.2 1.21.2
1.3 1.3
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII
Tem
per
atur
e an
om
aly,
°С
Month
2006
2007
2008
2009
5Barents Sea
Monthly mean temperature anomaliesin the 0-200 m layer in the Murman
Current– absolute maxima
V VI VII VIII IX X
Winter anomalies were higher than summer ones.
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
Tem
per
atur
e an
omal
y, °
C
Period (years)
Decadal mean air temperature anomalies
around Bear Island
6Barents Sea
Bear Island
2.2-2.4°C above normal(2006 and 2007)
Winter anomalies were higher than summer ones.
7Barents Sea
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Ice
cove
rag
e an
om
aly,
%
Year
Long-term average
Nonlinear trend
Ice coverage anomalies (May-July averaged) in the Barents sea in 1900-
2009
2000-2009 mean ice c. < 1990-1999 mean ice c. by 10%2006 and 2007 annual mean ice c. was 22-23% less-than-normal
8Barents Sea
Climate index for the Barents Sea
TAir-TAir TWater-TWater AreaIce-free-AreaσTAir
σTWater σAreaIce-free
Climate index = + +
TAir TWater AreaIce
Climate
TAir at Vardø and Kanin Nos coastal stationsTWater in the 0-200 m layer of the Murman CurrentAreaIce in May-July
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Clim
ate
ind
ex
Year
9Barents Sea
Cumulative curve of the climate indexfor the Barents Sea
1997-1999↓TA ↓TW
19881929
↑TWater + ↑AreaIce-free = ↑Climate index
2006
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Clim
ate
ind
ex
Year
Barents Sea
Cumulative curve of the climate indexfor the Barents Sea
10
Franz Josef Land - Novaya Zemlya section
Barents Sea 11
20072008PINROIMR
12Barents Sea
Temperature in the Franz Josef Land - Novaya Zemlya section in September
1991 1992
2007 2008
Surface andoutflowing waters
much warmer(2007-2008)
13
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2000
14
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2001
15
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2002
16
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2003
17
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2004
18
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2005
19
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2006
20
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2007
21
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2008
22
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
2009
23
Bottom temperature in August–September
Barents Sea
51<5-6%
4-531
>2°C0-2°C<0°C
24Barents Sea
Bottom temperature in August–September
Anomalies in 2007(the smallest area
covered by water <0°C)
Differences between 2007 values and
max values since 1951
The lower T in the 150-200 m layer of the Kola Section in winter, the larger bottom area covered by water <0°C in Aug-Sep.
94%35%
25
Conclusions
● In 2000-2009, air and water temperatures in the Barents Sea were higher-than-normal throughout the years , with extremely high positive anomalies in some years.
● The last decade was the warmest one since 1900.
● The warming processes in the Barents Sea peaked in 2006-2007. In 2008-2009 the climate index almost halved.
Barents Sea
● The decreasing trend in air and water temperatures in the Barents Sea is probably expected to continue into the nearest future, which will result in increased ice coverage.
Thank you for your time!