West Spitsbergen Current

E73585

The West Spitsbergen Current is a warm, northward-flowing branch of the North Atlantic Current that transports Atlantic water along the western coast of Spitsbergen into the Arctic Ocean.

Aliases (1)

Statements (41)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Atlantic water inflow
ocean current
surface current
adjacentTo East Greenland Current
affects marine ecosystems around Svalbard
stratification of the Arctic Ocean
alsoKnownAs WSC
boundaryCurrentOf Greenland Sea gyre
carries heat into the Arctic Ocean
salt into the Arctic Ocean
componentOf Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
contributesTo Atlantic water inflow to the Arctic Ocean
ventilation of the Arctic intermediate layers
flowsAlong western coast of Spitsbergen
flowsDirection northward
flowsPast west coast of Svalbard
flowsThrough Yermak Plateau region
hasProperty relatively high salinity compared to Arctic surface waters
relatively warm compared to surrounding Arctic waters
influences climate of Svalbard
heat budget of the Arctic Ocean
sea ice distribution in Fram Strait
sea ice edge position west of Svalbard
interactsWith Arctic sea ice
shelf processes west of Svalbard
locatedIn Arctic Ocean
Fram Strait
Greenland Sea region
monitoredBy hydrographic sections west of Svalbard
oceanographic moorings in Fram Strait
originatesFrom North Atlantic Current
partOf North Atlantic Current system
region Nordic Seas
relevantTo North Atlantic–Arctic ocean circulation coupling
global climate system
separatedFrom East Greenland Current by the Polar Front
studiedFor impact on sea ice decline in the Arctic
role in Arctic amplification
transports saltier water
warm Atlantic water
waterMassType Atlantic Water

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Greenland Sea
Norwegian Sea ("Norwegian Atlantic Current")
hasCurrent
Norwegian Sea ("Norwegian Atlantic Current")
connectedTo
Fram Strait
hasOceanCurrent

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