Historical dataset: Datasets from the European Sub Polar Ocean Programme ESOP 1993-1997

During the European Sub Polar Ocean Programme, new technologies, observational approaches and modeling efforts have been employed to better understand the mechanisms governing water masses formation, circulation and oceanic variability in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Seas. ESOP-I included observational studies of the ocean circulation, the sea ice cover, and the inorganic and organic carbon cycles. Three major modeling studies were involved.

ESOP-2 combined the release of an anthropogenic tracer, the launching of isobaric floats, the observation of standard hydrographic parameters and transient tracers, a complete coverage of the carbon cycle, remotely sensed and directly measured sea ice fluxes, and an integrated small, meso and large scale modeling effort.

The main objectives of the programme have been:

To understand the oceanic thermohaline circulation on meso and large scales and its dependence on surface fluxes of heat, fresh water and momentum. To study fresh water fluxes into and out of the central Greenland Sea region. Evaluate the role of convection areas in ocean-atmosphere gas exchange and investigate the role of thermohaline circulation in CO2 transport. To use observation to improve and calibrate coupled atmosphere-ocean models.