Cyclonic circulation and upwelling in Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal's summer stratification period (July–November) is characterized by cyclonic macrovortices that drive significant upwelling events, with compensatory downwelling occurring at their peripheries. These upwellings can last up to 16 weeks on average, covering vast areas—up to 4,400 km² in Southern Baikal and 1,550 km² over the Academician Ridge—and ascend at velocities of 1 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.2 × 10⁻² cm/s. Temperature differences between upwelling and downwelling zones range from 1–4°C in the epilimnion to 2–13°C in the metalimnion, with surface temperatures dropping by 4–7°C when water ascends from depths of 10–75 m. The study, combining in situ and satellite observations, reveals that these upwellings can affect nutrient distribution and primary production, offering insights into Lake Baikal's unique pelagic dynamics compared to other large lakes worldwide.

Troitskaya, E., Blinov, V., Ivanov, V., Zhdanov, A., Gnatovsky, R., Sutyrina, E., & Shimaraev, M. (2014). Cyclonic circulation and upwelling in Lake Baikal. Aquatic Sciences, 77(2), 171–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-014-0361-8