Conclusions
- The driving force of dense water cascading from the Laptev Sea shelf is excess salinification of the shelf water due to ice formation in winter polynya and columnar ice growth
- Direction of the dense water outflow is primarily determined by the large-scale seabed topography
- Typical for the Laptev Sea vertical stratification prevents dense water from reaching the base of continental slope, restricting penetration depth to 400 m.
- Cascading invokes an opposite-directed up-slope motion (upwelling) of lighter water from the deep, causing an effective mechanism of cross-slope water exchange.
- In stratified Arctic Ocean cascading – upwelling circulation brings warmer and saltier water from the deep.
- Negative heat flux associated with the Laptev Sea cascading is large enough to provide occasional cooling of Atlantic Water in this region
