Improved transport estimate of the East Icelandic Current 2002–2012

Abstract

AbstractThe East Icelandic Current (EIC) is one of the major export pathways from the Iceland Sea north of Iceland, carrying mostly cold and fresh waters of Arctic origin. In this study, volume and freshwater transports are estimated using current profiles and salinity time series from a mooring deployed from 2011 to 2012 over the insular slope northeast of Iceland. These data are extended by hydrographic sections spanning the entire EIC four times per year. In combination with altimetry, geostrophic current profiles of the whole section are obtained for the period 2002–2012. The data are analyzed with respect to volume and freshwater transport variability and their relation to atmospheric forcing. The observations show a mean transport of 0.75 ± 0.08 Sv, and a mean freshwater transport of 3.4 ± 0.3 mSv in the upper 170 m. There is large interannual variability which appears to depend more on local conditions rather than large‐scale atmospheric forcing. The freshwater transport is small compared to the export in the East Greenland Current.