The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Recent Pathway Changes in the Transpolar Drift
ID:403 Poster Presentation

2027-01-15 17:45 (China Standard Time)

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

Abstract
The Transpolar Drift (TPD) is a critical conduit for exporting freshwater, sea ice, and biogenic material from the Pacific Arctic to the North Atlantic, playing a vital role in the Arctic’s energy budget and global climate system. However, limited coverage of satellite altimetry over the central Arctic has long hindered a complete understanding of the TPD’s full variability. In this study, we use a new, gap-free Dynamic Ocean Topography (DOT) dataset spanning from 2011 to 2025 – which covers the previous data void over the North Pole – to investigate the interannual variability of the TPD pathway. By analyzing DOT-derived surface geostrophic velocities and defining an “eastward extension index” to quantify TPD pathway shifts, we find a pronounced reorientation of the main portion of the TPD after 2020. Specifically, more of the TPD exits through Fram Strait rather than the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, indicating a recent reorganization of Arctic outflow pathways toward the Atlantic sector. This pathway shift is verified by Lagrangian particle tracking experiments and appears linked to concurrent shifts in large-scale atmospheric forcing. Our findings provide observational evidence that the TPD’s transport capacity has recently entered a new regime, with profound implications for the redistribution of freshwater, the fate of sea ice, and the delivery of nutrients and pollutants across the Arctic Ocean.
 
Speaker
Yanxin Wang Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Author
Yanxin Wang Shanghai Jiao Tong University

    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