On the deep‐water flow through the Faroe Bank Channel

Abstract

A substantial part of the Norwegian Sea deep‐water outflow into the North Atlantic takes place via the Faroe Bank Channel, the deepest passage through the Greenland‐Scotland Ridge. In order to estimate this flux of cold, low‐saline bottom water, a field survey comprising hydrographie observations as well as current measurements was carried out in the channel during May 1983. Transport calculations were undertaken for a total of four sets of observations and yielded values ranging from 1.5 to 1.9 sverdrup. The outflow is most likely subjected to hydraulic control, and consequently, a simple model has been formulated in order to determine the maximum discharge through a rotating channel of parabolic cross section. This geometry is well‐adapted to the topography of the Faroe Bank Channel, and the theoretically predicted magnitude of the transport was found to be in good agreement with the observations.