Water circulation in the north-western Bering sea studied by satellite data

Abstract

The surface water circulation in the Bering Sea for the period from 2002 to 2017 has been investigated using satellite data. In January, the main stream of surface waters was directed to the south-west along the continental slope, and anticyclonic water circulation was observed on the shelf. In July, the surface water flow was oriented to the northeast along the continental slope, and on the shelf the cyclonic movement of water prevailed. The formation of mesoscale anticyclones in the winter period was caused by the supply of shelf waters with low temperature and salinity. The temporal variability of the currents during the summer is associated with coastal upwelling caused by the winds of the southern points over the western part of the Bering Sea. The presence of upwelling and anticyclonic eddies should be considered as one of the factors leading to the formation of a region with a high concentration of chlorophyll near the coast in the summer season.