Satellite Radar Observations of Small Eddies in the White, Barents and Kara Seas

A comprehensive analysis of small-scale eddies in the White, Barents, and Kara Seas reveals distinct seasonal patterns and spatial distributions. Over 3500 eddy patterns were identified using satellite radar imagery, with cyclonic eddies being more prevalent than anticyclonic ones. Peak eddy activity occurs in July for the Barents and White Seas and August for the Kara Sea, with most eddies measuring less than 6 km in diameter. Notably, anticyclonic eddies tend to be larger than their cyclonic counterparts. Eddies are frequently observed near specific geographic features such as Svalbard, the Kola Peninsula, Novaya Zemlya, and the Solovetsky Islands, often coinciding with hydrological fronts. This study provides critical insights into the spatial-temporal dynamics of submesoscale eddies in these Arctic regions.

Atadzhanova, O. A., Zimin, A. V., Romanenkov, D. A., Kozlov, I. E.,. (2017). Satellite Radar Observations of Small Eddies in the White, Barents and Kara Seas. Physical Oceanography, (2). https://doi.org/10.22449/1573-160x-2017-2-75-83