Upper ocean response to spring-time extratropical cyclone in the Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean

Abstract The Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean is one of the active regions for extratropical cyclones. Ocean response to extratropical cyclones is one of the key scientific issues of regional atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions. However, the observational study is not sufficient, and the ocean temperature and salinity responses to extratropical cyclones require further study. Here, based on Ice-Tethered Profiler data, we investigated the upper ocean response to spring-time extratropical cyclones. We selected a extratropical cyclone case formed in the north side of the Canadian Basin, then entered the Canadian Basin, and moving southwestward. The structure of the extratropical cyclone was clear and significantly affected the wind field in the Canadian Basin. The extratropical cyclone induces a positive surface stress curl. Extratropical cyclone also induces considerable sea ice motion. The observed sea surface salinity raised by 0.12 psu due to the extratropical cyclone, corresponding mixed-layer depth turn shallower by 5.3 m. These results contribute to understanding the upper ocean dynamics and can provide are Ference for Arctic atmosphere-ice-ocean prediction.