The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Investigating wind-driven upwelling in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea using an ultra-high-resolution numerical model
ID:391 Oral Presentation

2027-01-14 14:00 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 5 - Arctic Ocean: Physical Processes and their Effects on Climate and the Ecosystem

Abstract
Wind-driven upwelling along the continental slope of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea occurs throughout the year and transports water from depth onto the shelf, influencing stratification, nutrient availability, and sea-ice melt. However, the limited spatial coverage of observations has constrained our understanding of this process and prohibited the ability to quantify the resulting shelf-basin fluxes of heat, freshwater, and biogenic material. Using an ultra-high-resolution coupled ice-ocean model, we investigate representative summer and winter upwelling events along the Beaufort shelfbreak. We compare their strength, duration, and recovery and assess their effects on local circulation, water-column stratification, and sea-ice conditions. The summer event produced a shelf-wide mean temperature decrease of ~0.5°C and a salinity increase of ~0.4 PSU. The stronger winter event generated substantially larger hydrographic changes, with temperatures decreasing by ~1.15°C and salinity increasing by ~1.5 PSU. The corresponding shelf-basin fluxes are investigated and their impacts explored.
 
Speaker
Spenser Ross University of Toronto

Author
Spenser Ross University of Toronto

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

      2026

      Session / Event proposals close
      (Extended to April 7)

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Session acceptance notifications

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions & registration open

    • Jun 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions close
      (Extended to July 21)

    • Aug 31

      2026

      Abstract acceptance notifications

    • Sep 15

      2026

      Scientific program released

    • Oct 15

      2026

      Early bird registration closes

    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027