The Norwegian & North Cape Currents

Links: Please click on the links below to learn more about the Norwegian current. Example Plots are below the Links.

Looping surface drifters help to close the Arctic oceanic loop by Cecilie Mauritzen and Inga Koszalka
An overview of ocean currents with emphasis on currents on the Norwegian continental shelf by Gerhard Ersdal (PDF file)
NEAT GIN - North East Atlantic, Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian sea experiment (Current Measurements along Norwegian Shelf)
Large Marine Ecosystems of the World LME #20: Barents Sea
Large Marine Ecosystems of the World LME #21: Norwegian Shelf

Example Plots: Clicking on a thumbnail image loads a larger image, clicking on the figure number downloads a PostScript image.

Figure 1.   The Norwegian current as represented by the Mariano Global Surface Velocity Analysis (MGSVA). The Norwegian current has an offshore branch and a coastal component that hugs the coast of Norway. It transports relatively warm, saline waters into the Arctic Ocan and this influences the amount of winter-time convection and water mass formation. Click here for example plots of seasonal averages.

Figure 2.   Global Ocean Surface Velocities from Drifters    (top panel w/ SST, bottom panel w/ Speed)    Figure Caption is Under Construction. Click here for example plots of seasonal averages.

Figure 3.   The Norwegian Current transports relatively warm water along the Norwegian coast into the Norwegian and Barents Seas. The energetic eddy field associated with the Norwegian Current entrains coastal waters into the ocean interior, a process visible throughout the year. in the summer months, the coastal water is warmer, while in the winter the coastal waters are cooler. The animation clearly shows the Shetland/Shelf Current feeding the Norwegian Current. ( Click the thumbnail to play the animation. )

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

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Figure 7.   Buoys ID 00467 (red), 02004 (green), 08335 (blue), 14383 (yellow), and 15896 (cyan) are a few of the examples of buoy trajectories in the Norwegian Current and its small-scale eddy field. Buoy 00467 is in the offshore branch of the Norwegian Current in December of 1994 and moves closer to shore over the winter. Buoy 02004 is in the Slope Current during March of 1993 and in the core of the Norwegian Current in November of 1993. Buoy 08335 is close to shore in April and May of 1992 and, like most other buoys, ends up in the North Cape Current. Buoy 14383 is in the Norwegian Current during February of 1992 and also ends up in the North Cape Current five months later. Buoy 15986 is another example of buoys in the eastward-flowing East Iceland Current that do not go north but continue to the east and end up hugging the coast of Norway and Russia.

Figure 8.   AVRRR image of the sea-surface temperature (SST).

Figure 9.   Geography of the region.

Figure 10.   Topography/Bathymetry of the region.

	Figure 1. The Norwegian current as represented by the Mariano Global Surface Velocity Analysis (MGSVA). The Norwegian current has an offshore branch and a coastal component that hugs the coast of Norway. It transports relatively warm, saline waters into the Arctic Ocan and this influences the amount of winter-time convection and water mass formation. Click here for example plots of seasonal averages.
	Figure 2. Global Ocean Surface Velocities from Drifters (top panel w/ SST, bottom panel w/ Speed) Figure Caption is Under Construction. Click here for example plots of seasonal averages.
	Figure 3. The Norwegian Current transports relatively warm water along the Norwegian coast into the Norwegian and Barents Seas. The energetic eddy field associated with the Norwegian Current entrains coastal waters into the ocean interior, a process visible throughout the year. in the summer months, the coastal water is warmer, while in the winter the coastal waters are cooler. The animation clearly shows the Shetland/Shelf Current feeding the Norwegian Current. ( Click the thumbnail to play the animation. )
	Figure 4.
	Figure 5.
	Figure 6.
	Figure 7. Buoys ID 00467 (red), 02004 (green), 08335 (blue), 14383 (yellow), and 15896 (cyan) are a few of the examples of buoy trajectories in the Norwegian Current and its small-scale eddy field. Buoy 00467 is in the offshore branch of the Norwegian Current in December of 1994 and moves closer to shore over the winter. Buoy 02004 is in the Slope Current during March of 1993 and in the core of the Norwegian Current in November of 1993. Buoy 08335 is close to shore in April and May of 1992 and, like most other buoys, ends up in the North Cape Current. Buoy 14383 is in the Norwegian Current during February of 1992 and also ends up in the North Cape Current five months later. Buoy 15986 is another example of buoys in the eastward-flowing East Iceland Current that do not go north but continue to the east and end up hugging the coast of Norway and Russia.
	Figure 8. AVRRR image of the sea-surface temperature (SST).
	Figure 9. Geography of the region.
	Figure 10. Topography/Bathymetry of the region.