OC - Seminars 20231109

Thursday, November 9, 2023.  Spanagel Hall, Room 316.  12:00 

 

Recent Changes in water mass distribution over the Arctic Chukchi Borderland

Dr. Kyoung-Ho Cho, Division of Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea

We have carried out the Arctic Ocean summer expeditions using the Korean ice-breaking research vessel Araon to investigate marine environmental changes in the Pacific Arctic region in response to the Arctic climate change. In this study, we focused on spatiotemporal variations in water mass distribution over the Arctic Chukchi Borderland (CBL). We analyzed the hydrographic data (CTD, XCTD, and ocean moorings) obtained from 2015 to 2023. In 2017, the cold saline water (Atlantic-derived) was observed on the Chukchi continental slope, which was previously observed on the East Siberian continental slope. It occupied the depths between 70 and 150 m, corresponding to the halocline layer between the Pacific and the Atlantic waters, and gradually moved eastward along the continental slope. The intrusion of this cold saline water had a profound influence on the shoaling of the Pacific-derived halocline layer around the CBL, implying that heat (warm summer water) and nutrient (cold winter water) were likely to be delivered to the upper layer. Our recent observations indicate that Atlantic-derived water masses are still gradually extending into the Pacific Arctic and inducing anomalous biogeochemical events. Preliminary results using ocean mooring data represent temporal variations of physical and biogeochemical properties at multiple sites along the Chukchi and East Siberian continental slopes. Additionally, we introduce the Araon summer cruise activities, ongoing research, and some items on Arctic research collaboration between NPS and Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI).


Dr. Kyung-Ho Cho is an Arctic oceanographer with a specialization in water mass analysis in the Chukchi Sea. He is currently a visiting scholar at the Department of Oceanography for a one-year term (August 2023-July 2024). Dr. Cho graduated from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, in 2009, where he focused on coastal dynamics (i.e., Chesapeake Bay) through the use of numerical models. Presently, he is associated with the Korea Polar Research Institute and is exploring potential collaborations concerning the Western Arctic seas.