Warming and salinification of intermediate and deep waters in the Irminger Sea and Iceland Basin in 1997–2006

Abstract

Recent intra‐decadal changes in temperature and salinity of the Labrador Sea Water and Nordic overflow waters are quantified on the basis of the CTD data from the repeats of the zonal transatlantic section along ∼60°N carried out in 1997, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The revealed changes, in general, point to a rapid transition to the warmer/saltier conditions at the intermediate and deeper levels in the Irminger Sea and Iceland Basin at the section latitude in 1997–2006. In particular, substantial steady warming and salinification of the Iceland–Scotland Overflow Water is revealed in both basins. The latter result means an abrupt reversal or, at least, almost a decade‐long interruption of the long‐term freshening of this water lasted since the mid‐1960s.