Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Marine Science

First Advisor

Subramanyam Bulusu

Abstract

The freshwater (FW) content in the Arctic plays a critical role in the global climate by influencing the regional physical and biological processes, large-scale ocean circulation in the North Atlantic, sea-ice albedo, and other crucial climate parameters. Located in the Canadian Basin, the Beaufort Gyre (BG) is the largest retainer of FW in the Arctic. Here we examine the dynamics of the BG between 2016-2018 using satellite-derived products and ocean reanalysis parameters. Our results demonstrate that the characteristics of BG during the years of this study are a complex combination of various processes. The Ekman-induced FW fluxes were separated into zonal and meridional flows to quantify the FW fluxes entering/leaving the BG region and to determine its source. Based on the Ekman-induced FW fluxes, in February 2016, after a rapid tropospheric warming (RTW) event, 7.512 x 104 m3/s entered the BG through the southern boundary. After calculating total FW content between 2007-2018, there were peaks of ORAS5 model reanalysis and EN4 observational data in 2016 of 18.3 x 103 km3 and 16.4 x 103 km3, respectively. An increased advanced dynamic topography was especially noticeable in 2016 at 1.96 m, increasing the strength of geostrophic circulation and potential downwelling of surface FW. We anticipate that our study will shed more light on the multiplex changes occurring in the BG region. Furthermore, it is important to develop an understanding of the modern-day BG dynamics that can impact regional and global ocean and atmospheric processes.

Rights

© 2026, Christina McCarty Gregory

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