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CONTENTS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABSTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. OCEANOGRAPHIC       EXPEDITIONS TO THE BARENTS SEA

3. DATA       ANALYSIS
      3.1. Data       Sources3.2. Data       Processing Steps3.3. Data       Quality Control      3.3.a. Duplicate       Checks3.3.b. Data       Sampling Ranges Checks3.3.c. Statistical       Check3.4. Interpolation       to Standard Levels3.5. Objective       Data Analysis
4. CD-ROM       STRUCTURE
      4.1. CD-ROM       Contents4.2. 4.2.       Data Formats
5. VARIABILITY       OF TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY
      5.1. Data       Distribution5.2. 5.2.       Seasonal Cycle of Temperature and Salinity5.3. 5.3.       Interannual Variability of Temperature and Salinity
6. SUMMARY

7. FUTURE       WORKS

8. REFERENCES

PREFACE

Joint Research of the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute       (Russia) and the Ocean Climate Laboratory (USA) within the Framework of       the GODAR Project.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) GODAR Project       (Global Oceanographic Data Archaeology and Rescue) has it roots at a       meeting held in September 1990. Scientists and data managers from       oceanographic data centers from the USSR, Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile,       Australia, the USA, and the International Council for the Exploration of       the Sea (ICES) gathered to discuss the problem of oceanographic data       preservation. The discussion of this problem resulted in the organiza-tion       of several national projects on oceanographic data archaeology and rescue.       In particular, projects were launched at the World Data Center-A       (Washington, D.C. USA), the World Data Center-B (Obninsk, Russia), and the       World Data Center-D (Tianjin, China). They were supported by IOC UNESCO.       With the beginning of such projects, data exchange between scientists and       institutions of different countries intensified, procedures of data       quality control were updated, and access to data was simplified.

Since 1992 the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute has worked with the       WDC-A for Oceanography and the NODC Ocean Climate Laboratory (NOAA),       within the framework of the GODAR Project. Main elements of the joint work       are:       
-  archiving of oceanographic data and their digitization;         
-  quantitative estimation of accuracy of the data obtained with         different procedures and measurement techniques;         
-  development of data quality control programs.       
 The Climatic Atlas of the Barents Sea       1998: Temperature, salinity, oxygen  sums up the first stage       of this joint work. We assumed at the beginning of this project that we       would be able to carry out all works on archiving and data quality control       within several years. After six years of cooperation we state that more       work lies ahead.      
 The initial data of this atlas are being distributed       internationally without restrictions via the CD-ROM.
Academician Gennadiy Matishov, Director              Murmansk Marine Biological Institute  Russian             Academy of SciencesSydney Levitus, Director  World Data Center             - A (Oceanography)  National Oceanographic Data             Center,  USA
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work became possible due to the efforts of many generations of       scientists, observers, and seamen, who, for more than a century, carried       out the enormous amount of work on the collection  and analysis of       data on the state of the Barents Sea and its biological resources.

For many decades, the leading role in research belonged to the       Murmansk-based Polar Scientific Institute for Fishery and Oceanography       (PINRO) and the Murmansk Administration of Hydrometeorolo-gical Service       (MUGMS). Our knowledge on regularities in the distribution of the Barents       Sea waters is largely based on the data collected by the personnel of       these institutions.

Special thanks are due to the expedition staff of the Northern Fishery       Reconnaissance, led by the PINRO scientists, in oceanographic survey of       the Barents Sea.

The Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kola Scientific Center, the NOAA       Climate and Global Change Program and the NOAA       Environmental Science Data and Information Management program have       supported this work on the development of an oceanographic database and       the computation of the Barents Sea climatic fields.

The UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) sponsored       the GODAR Project, which resulted in the rescue of large amount of       oceanographic data. The help of Dr. Y. Oliounine has been especially       critical for the success of the GODAR Project.

We wish to express our gratitude to scientists of the Murmansk Marine       Biological Institute (MMBI) especially to Vladimir Denisov, Vladimir       Petrov, Oleg Sochnev, Gennadiy Ilyin, Vladimir Savinov, Denis Moiseev,       Andrey Kuznetsov. We also wish to thank Todd O'Brien, Daphne Johnson,       Margarita Conkright, Tim Boyer, Olga Baranova, Jennifer Rochester, and       Carla Forgy of the NODC Ocean Climate Laboratory for their multifacetal       help in the database deve-lopment. We would like to thank Misha Trufanov       for translating this work from Russian to English.

Dr. Igor Belkin and Dr. Gennady Chepurin reviewed the manuscript       version of this atlas.

ABSTRACT

The time and space distribution of 74,256 ocean stations (temperature,       salinity, and oxygen) occupied in the Barents Sea during 1898-1993 is       presented.  These data are recorded on CD-ROM in a format designed       for use in electronic spreadsheets and / or databases. Monthly maps       defining the station distribution over the Barents Sea are given for every       year.  Monthly mean fields of temperature and salinity distribution       for the depths 0, 30, 50, 100, and 200 m, with a grid distance of 10'x30'       are plotted using objective analysis techniques. A description of the       summer and winter seasons is given in terms of the spatial-temporal       variability of thermohaline characteristics of the Barents Sea.

1. INTRODUCTION

The Barents Sea, owing to its unique natural characteristics, is       outstanding among the seas of the polar oceans. Penetration of warm       Atlantic Ocean waters to the Barents Sea produces climatic conditions for       this area which are anomalous for the Arctic Ocean.  These anomalous       climatic conditions have various forms of manifestation. The Barents       Sea is the only Arctic region which remains unfrozen throughout the year.       During some years the ice boundary in winter passes along       75oN.  The inflow of warm Atlantic waters makes the       climate of the Kola Peninsula and adjacent regions more benign during       winter time.  Rain in January - February is a typical phenomenon for       Murmansk. At the same time, the proximity to the Arctic is demonstrated       by  snow storms which may occur in any summer month.

The Barents Sea is renowned for its biological riches.  Hundreds       of vessels from different countries fish there for valuable fish species       and invertebrates. Sea products harvested in the Barents Sea are a       significant dietary supplement for the population of Europe and Asian       Russia.  The Barents Sea biological productivity is largely dependent       on the variability of the inflow of the Atlantic waters.

The anomalous oceanographic characteristics of the Barents Sea make the       Barents Sea a natural laboratory for studying a large number of problems       on the ocean's effect on climate and the distribution of marine life.

The anomalous climatic conditions also result in diversified human       activities.  The Russian city of Murmansk is a large base for       research, fishery and transport vessels. Nuclear-powered ice-breakers (a       part of the Northern Maritime Shipping Company) based in Murmansk, have       turned annual trips to the North Pole into a routine.  During the       past decade, interest in the Barents Sea has drastically increased due to       the discovery of oil and natural gas, and due to radioactivity  waste       disposal concerns.

Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia's largest marine scientific centers,       are located relatively close to the Barents Sea. As a result, many       outstanding Russian marine biologists and oceanographers have devoted part       of their scientific careers to research involving the Barents Sea and its       bioresources. In the mid-1930s, owing to their efforts, the Murmansk       Marine Biological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and the Polar       Research Institute for Marine Fishery and Oceanography of the USSR Fishery       Ministry were founded. These institutes explore the Barents Sea and       North-Eastern Atlantic.

In 1937, the Administration for Northern Fish Reconnaissance was       established to provide fleet with information on sea state, and to develop       new areas for fishing. In 1938, the Murmansk Administration for       Hydrometeorological Service started operations.

During 1920-1940, regular oceanographic observations in the open       Barents Sea were carried out by 2-3 vessels. After World War II, the       number of research vessels surveying the Barents Sea on a regular basis       increased drastically. During some periods, more than 10 ships       simultaneously gathered oceanographic and biological data over the entire       Barents Sea. For instance, during 1950-1995, the Kola Meridian transect       was made 723 times. During the period 1870-1995, we estimate that the       total number of hydrological stations occupied in the Barents Sea by       Russian scientists was 300,000-400,000.

This publication contains oceanographic data on the Barents Sea       collected by the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute and World Data       Center-A for Oceanography (Silver Spring, USA) as part of the Global       Oceanographic Data Archaeology and Rescue (IOC UNESCO). Based on the       objective analysis of these, the monthly mean fields of temperature (T),       salinity (S), at standard levels of 0, 30, 50, 100 and 200m are plotted.       The initial data (74,256 stations for the period 1898-1993) are on CD-ROM       in a format convenient for electronic use.

2. OCEANOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS       TO THE BARENTS SEA

Many countries have launched scientific expeditions to the Barents Sea.       The results of Norwegian, English, Swedish, and German expeditions were       published in the western literature and became accessible to the       scientists from the different countries. These papers are well known in       Russia and are widely used by specialists in various fields of natural       sciences. The materials by Russian scientists, in most cases, are       published only in Russian, and are there-fore inaccessible to many English       language readers. Therefore, information about the Russian expeditions to       the Barents Sea will be provided in this section.

Reference       contains a list of books and papers comprising the cruise reports and the       measurement data collected in the Barents Sea and adjacent regions during       1870-1927.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Barents Sea has been the area       of the Arctic basin which has been most explored by research ships. As       early as 1837, the expedition aboard the French ship La Recherche carried       out measurements of sea surface temperature as far north as       79o36'. A large number of sea surface temperature measurements       were made by the Dutch ship Willem Barents during seven cruises to the       Barents Sea in 1878-1884. Data on these cruises were used by P. van Heert       for plotting maps of summer sea surface temperature distribution for the       Barents Sea. In the 19th century, Russian, Norwegian, German, Swedish,       Dutch, and Austrian vessels made sea temperature and density measurements       at the surface and at different depths. For instance, during 1870 - 1871       in the Barents Sea, seawater temperature was measured by the following       vessels: Variag, Zhemchug, Samoed (Russia), Johanna Maria, Polarstjernen,       Samson, Skjon Valborg, Ellida, Freya, (Norway), Diana, (Great Britain),       and Germania (Germany).

Starting in 1880, Russian military and commercial ships were used on an       annual basis for meteorological and hydrological surveys of the Barents       Sea. Although hydrological measurements were not the principal objective       of the cruises and were made en route, the results were thoroughly       analyzed and published in key Russian scientific journals. The young       university graduates N. Knipovich and M. Zhdanko, who made these       measurements, later became leading oceanographers.

In 1899, the Stockholm conference raised the issue about the       establishment of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea       (ICES). Research Program aimed at exploration of marine fishing areas was       suggested. The council was facing a series of problems on the       standardization of measurements in the ocean. In the Barents Sea, three       standard transects were planned, the main one being the transect along the       Kola Meridian 33o30' E. The ICES council planned to repeat the       standard transects annually in February, May, August, and November,       however this plan was not realized and the transects were made not more       than two times a year. In the Barents Sea research on the transects ceased       in 1906 and resumed after 1917.

At the end of the 19th century a new stage in research on the Barents       Sea commenced. The Russian government allotted funds for two large-scale       expeditions to the Barents Sea.

The first expedition was launched in the summers of 1898-1906 on the       ships Pomor and Andrey Pervozvannyi. The expedition ship Andrey       Pervozvannyi was built specially for oceanographic research. Initially the       expedition was headed by N. Knipovich, and after 1902, by L. Breitfus.       Within the period 1898-1906, more than 800 deep-sea stations were made       mainly in the southern and south-eastern Barents Sea, and along three       transects (international triangle): Kola Bay - Kola Meridian to       75o30' N - Novaya Zemlya - Kola Bay. In addition, plankton and       benthos were collected.

The second expedition was carried out during 1899-1914 on the ship       Pakhtusov. During this expedition all meteorological and hydrological       measurements were taken by the officers of the Russian Navy. In total,       more than 200 deep-sea stations and 9000 sea surface temperature       measurements were made.

In February 1899, Admiral S.O. Makarov initiated the construction of a       powerful ice-breaker Ermak which in August reached as far North as       81o21' N. In 1901, S.O. Makarov on the Ermak sailed for the       Barents Sea, but was entrapped by floating ice at the latitude of       77o30' N near Novay Zemlya. After a month-long ice drift, the       crew managed to make its way to Franz-Josef Land. In total, Ermak made 62       deep-sea hydrological stations.

In 1914, a small number of deep-sea temperature and salinity       measurements were made in the coastal waters off the Kola Peninsula while       searching for a place for the construction of a merchant seaport. In the       same year the vessels Vitaliy, Vaigatch, Sergeyi Vitte, Velikaya Knyaginya       Olga Konstantinovna, Keret, Vasiliy Velikiy, and Nikolay of the Arctic       Ocean Hydrometeorological Service made about 700 temperature/salinity       measurements in the surface layer along with the measurement of pressure,       air temperature, and weather.

During World War I the number of scientific cruises to the Barents Sea       decreased drastically. Our database contains not a single station made       during 1914-1917. Beginning in 1917, the number of scientific cruises to       the Barents Sea increased sharply. This was related to the organization of       fisheries and exploration of Russia's northern regions.

In 1919, the Pechora Expedition was organized, and in 1920 the Northern       scientific-fishery expedition was organized. The latter started the Arctic       and Antarctic Research Institute. Beginning in May 1921 the Murmansk       Biological Station launched regular observations at the Kola meridian with       the help of the State Hydrological Institute. In the same year the       Floating Marine Scientific Institute (Plavmornin) was founded.

In the summer of 1921, a 3,000 ton ice-breaker Solovey Budimirovitch,       soon afterwards renamed Malygin, was transferred for the Plavmornin. On       January 10, 1922, an unfinished 550-t and 41.5 m long whaler Persey was       commissioned for the Plavmornin. Her bow compartment accommodated 5       laboratories. Hydrological and hydrochemical studies were made at the       afterpart. Later Polar Research Institute for Marine Fishery and       Oceanography was founded on the basis of the Plavmornin.

In the period 1923-1941 Persey made more than 100 cruises and 2,000       deep-sea stations in the Barents Sea and Kara Sea. In 1932-1933, during       the Second International Polar Year, 18 cruises with 476 deep-sea stations       were made in the Barents Sea and Kara Sea.       

The data collected served as a basis for plotting the main isobaths and       isotherms. A rather substantial oceanographic database was built. In       1932-1938, the first atlases, fishery maps, sailing directions, and other       manuals were published.

In 1938, PINRO for the first time used sonars to study sea bottom       morphology, which allowed a qualitatively new step of research,       publication of large-scale navigation and fishery maps, and compilation of       a detailed bathymetric map of the Barents Sea.

In 1934, a system of standard       transects  was proposed, and in 1935 approved by the PINRO       Scientific Council, as well as the volume and methods of the       multidisciplinal oceanographic observations, seasonal oceanographic       surveys, and monthly observations along the Kola Meridian transect. From       April 1938 until present, observations in the Barents Sea were made by       this system. Owing to this fact, we have now a unique oceanographic       database systematized in time and space.

During World War II, no oceanographic research was carried out in the       Barents Sea. After World War II the structure of the scientific fleet in       the Barents Sea changed both qualitatively and quantitatively. For       instance, in 1958-59 more than 15 vessels made oceanographic and       meteorological observations in the Barents Sea. Altogether during these       two years about 10,000 deep-sea stations were occupied in the Barents Sea.       Apart from the standard temperature and salinity measurements, oxygen, pH,       and alkalinity were made at about one-third of all stations. At       approximately 10% of the stations, phosphates and nitrates were made.       During August-September 1984, 12 vessels made a seawide survey of the       Barents Sea. More than 2500 deep-sea stations were occupied.

3. DATA ANALYSIS

3.1. Data Sources

Oceanographic data used for this publication were obtained from the       following institutions:
a.World Data Center - A (WDC-A) for Oceanography, Silver Spring,             USA. WDC-A has been recieving oceanographic data from many marine             organizations including WDC-B, Obninsk, Russia and WDC-D, Tianjin,             China.b.Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Russian Academy of             Sciences. The oceanographic data base of the Murmansk Marine             Biological Institute consists of data measured by MMBI scientists,             data found in libraries, and data acquired during joint scientific             work with marine organizations in particular PINRO, North Fishing             Reconnaissance, and the Murmansk Hydrometeorological Service.c.CD-ROM: Eastern Arctic Ice, Ocean and Atmosphere Data, Volume 1,             1991, National Snow and Ice Data Center, CIRES-1, University of             Colorado, USA
Initially, the database was formed for the region 66-82o N       and 5-105o E, which slightly exceeds the Barents Sea area. For       this region the WDC-A files contained 104,370 stations, from them 47,863       were within the Barents Sea. The CD-ROM (CIRES-1, University of Colorado,       USA) for the data sampling region (the Barents Sea and the region adjacent       to the Spitsbergen) contains 2,148 stations. The Murmansk Marine       Biological Institute files contained 42,654 stations, and 36,203 of them       were within the limits of the Barents Sea.

After merging all data and rejection of duplicate stations, 74,280       stations within the Barents Sea were put on the CD-ROM.

3.2. Data Processing       Steps

The data banks of MMBI, NODC/WDC-A, and the CD-ROM CIRES-1, have       different formats. Therefore, the first step of data processing consisted       of conversion into the format described in Section       4.2. At the same time, data were converted into consistent measurement       units, and the preliminary deletion of erratic values, was carried out.

Twelve files were formed, each consisting of the stations occupied       within one month. Along with this, data formats, depth inversion and depth       duplication, were checked. Data were sorted over time and duplicate       stations were deleted. Thus the resulting twelve data arrays form the       first level of database (directory "DATA\STEP_1" on the CD-ROM).

The values outside the limits of 3s were       deleted at the next stage of the data quality control (Golubev et al.,       1992; Levitus S. and Boyer T.P., 1990). The computations were made for       each month and observation depth separately. The twelve data arrays thus       obtained form the second level database (directory "DATA\STEP_2" on the       CD-ROM).

To solve a wide variety of problems, one needs data interpolated to       several levels. Therefore the data obtained at the second stage (directory       "DATA\STEP_2" on the CD-ROM) were interpo-lated to the standard levels       (directory "DATA\STEP_3") and the regular 5-m levels: 0, 5 m, 10 m, ...500       m (directory "DATA\STEP_4"). Data of the directory "STEP_3" was used for       the objective analysis, plotting the maps of spatial distribution of       parameters at different levels, and for generalizations.

3.3. Data Quality Control

3.3.a. Duplicate Check

The data merged were checked for the coincidence of the coordinates,       date, and time of station. When no station time is indicated, all the       stations made during one calendar day were compared. For the stations       without time indication, their depth is compared and the data available at       the first level. If at two stations the coordinates and time coincide or,       if time is absent, the first level data and depth coincide, the station       containing more parameters at more levels is selected for further       processing and analysis.

3.3.b. Data       Sampling Ranges Checks

There are numerous references containing the admissible ranges of       variation of the oceanographic characteristics for the Barents Sea. For       our range checks we used the criteria which are given in one of the latest       references on the Barents Sea (Barents Sea, 1990).

The following ranges were set: for temperature -2.00 to 15.00       Co, salinity 0.000 - 36.000 pss, and oxygen 0.00 - 19.00       mg/l.

The data sampling range according to the observation date and time was       set from 00 h GMT January 1, 1898 to 2400 h GMT December 31, 1993.

For the Barents Sea the maximum possible observation depth cannot       exceed 550 m.

3.3.c. Statistical Check

The check for statistical data uniformity and the elimination of       sharply deviating values was performed separately for each month and       observation level. Data were interpolated to standard levels.

The limits of admissible values were calculated using a 3s criterion (Levitus and Boyer, 1990). The values       falling outside these limits were deleted from use. About 0.3% of all data       appeared to lie outside the limits of 3s. These       agrees well with the theoretical estimate for the number of observations       which should be outside the limits of 3s. This       indicates that this criterion is applicable for quality control of       oceanographic data of the Barents Sea. When considering several months of       data together, one can observe a sharp (5-7%) increase of the amount of       data rejected. This indicates that the selected time intervals are the       optimal.

Numerical experiments aimed at a finer consideration of statistical       data inhomogeneity (e.g. the selection of the shorter data consideration       intervals, front-induced horizontal inhomogeneity, or the attempts to       increase the statistical data homogeneity based on the other limitations       of the initial sampling), provided no essential increase of homogeneity       due to the large spatial-temporal generalization scale.

3.4.       Interpolation to Standard Levels

Variables were interpolated vertically to standard levels according to       the procedure adopted by UNESCO (Reiniger and Ross, 1968; UNESCO, 1991).       The considerable vertical variability of hydrological parameters in the       Barents Sea entailed more rigorous limitations for vertical interpolation       as compared with a standard procedure. A decrease of the admissible       interpolation depth range for 25 - 35% designated this limitation compared       to (Levitus and Boyer , 1990).

3.5. Objective Data       Analysis

The objective data analysis procedure used for this work generally       corresponds to the scheme suggested by Barnes (1973) and the methods for       calculating the data spatial distribution and map plotting used by Levitus       S., Boyer T.P. (1994). Considerable changes and additions to the algorithm       have been made to account for the anisotropic structure of oceanographic       fields in the Barents Sea.

When solving such problems in oceanology, frequent use is made of       various forms of optimum interpolation (Gandin and Kagan, 1966; Artem'ev       and Blinov, 1986; Nelepo and Timchenko, 1978) suggested by L.S.Gandin       (1965) as well as of polynomial field approximation (a detailed review       contains in the paper by E.D. Vyazilov, 1981).

The application of optimum interpolation is assumed to be preferable       due to minimization of the field reconstruction error. However, the       algorithm of this method is rather complicated, since to determine the       interpolation coefficients, a system of linear equations is solved       individually for every gridpoint, also the exact knowledge of the field       statistical structure is necessary.

Frequent infringements of the imhomogeneous and isotropic character of       the oceanographic fields (especially in the seas and coastal regions)       require the additional specification of estimates of the spatial       correlation functions based on observational data for which the necessary       data is not readily available (Gandin and Kagan, 1966).

At the same time, providing the minimum dispersion of the       reconstruction error, the optimum interpolation produces the essential       smoothing effect for the field (interpolated values objectively approach       the average level), and as a result, useful data can be lost.

In this work the computation of the spatial correlation functions and       verification of the objective analysis procedure have been made using the       data of the interdepartmental surveys in the Barents Sea (Golubev et al.,       1985, Denisov et al., 1987, Golubev et al., 1989).

For sea surface temperature in the Barents Sea the correlation radii       vary from 180 km in winter to 270 km in summer. Down to 100 m depth, this       radius decreases by 35 - 40%, and it increases again by 35 - 40% as the       bottom is approached.

For salinity the correlation radii exceed those for temperature by as       much as a factor of two, the seasonal variations of this characteristic       are lower, however general regulations remain the same. The data available       are insufficient to reliably reveal the statistical oxygen concentration       variability. From a numerical viewpoint, oxygen concentration variability       characteristics are close to the analogous parameters obtained for winter       seawater temperature for some depths.

It is noteworthy that in homogeneous water masses of the Barents Sea,       the correlation radii for the hydrological parameters approach values       typical for the ocean (Ivanov, 1981). For instance, the correlation radius       can reach 350 km for the temperature of the cold surface layers, and it       can be larger below 200 m. On the whole, these values are not advisable to       be used for the computations for the Barents Sea, since they results in       the excessive smoothing due to the generalization of dissimilar data.

The formula for the computation of parametric value in the knot of the       grid area has the following form:       

       where         
i,jare the coordinates for the grid  area cell             east-westwards and north - southwards, espectively;kis the number assigned to a data value  that occurs in the             region around each grid- point defined by the correlation radius           R;dis the coordinates determination accuracy;Sij is the value of parameter reconstructed  in the cell             of the grid area with the  coordinates i,j;Skis the value of the parameter observed;Nis the number of data points used for  interpolation;Wk is the weight coefficient for Sk;r ijkis the distance between the observed data  value to the             interpolation point;Ris the correlation radius;c is the optimum exponent of the  weight function power             derived from  numerical experiments
In general, the temperature and       salinity maps plotted using our objective procedures  reflect the       structure of the principal currents in the Barents Sea (Tantsyura, 1959),       and coordinate with the maps plotted subjectively (Barents sea, 1990).

4. CD-ROM STRUCTURE

The CD-ROM CLIMATIC ATLAS OF THE BARENTS SEA 1998: temperature,       salinity, oxygen contains the temperature profiles (Co),       salinity (pss), and dissolved oxygen concentration (mg/l) for the period       1898-1993.  The data have been collected within the official       boundaries of the Barents Sea and the northern inlet of the White Sea,       limited from the south by the transect Voronov cape - Sosnovets Island.

For recording the data on the CD-ROM the following formats were used:       
1. CSV - the text format of MS Excel electronic       spreadsheets with separating commas is used for storing the hydrological       data;2. DOC - files in WinWord 7.0 Widows 95;3. TXT - DOS text       files;4. XLS - files in Excel 7.0 Windows 95;5. CDR - files in       CorelDraw 8 Windows 95;6. TIF - tagged image file format;7. GRD -       ASCII GRID format files of SURFER program by Golden Software, Inc.;8.       EXE - executable files of DOS;9. DAN-DOS managing files;10. LST -       program execution protocols - DOS text files.       
4.1. CD-ROM Contents

The Main directory:       
PREFER_R.DOC- Message from the Governor  of the         Murmansk Region (in Russian)         
PREFER_R.DOC- Message from the Governor  of the Murmansk         region (in English)         

A1.CDR - Observation network of the Barents sea         

READ_MRU.DOC - CD-ROM disc structure (in  Russian)         

READ_MEN. DOC - CD-ROM disc structure (in  English)         

ZONE.DOC - Coordinates of borders of a zone  of       data.

Directory REPORT - Climatic Atlas of the Barents  Sea       (text)       
 REPORTRU.DOC - CLIMATIC ATLAS  OF THE BARENTS SEA         1998:  temperature, salinity, oxygen (in Russian and        English)Directory INVENT- Data distribution       during  1898-1993        B1.TIF - distribution of stations         only    containing temperature data         
 B2.TIF - distribution of stations only   containing         temperature and   salinity data         

 B3.TIF - distribution of stations only            containing temperature, salinity   and oxygen data         during   1898-1993         

 C1.XLS-C24.XLS - Monthly distribution  of       stations

Directory MAPS - Climatic maps for the period 1898-1993       
 D1.TIF - D60.TIF -Temperature, salinity.           Mean monthly fields   for depths 0, 30, 50, 100, and 200         
 D61.TIF - D62.TIF-Oxygen. Mean fields for           May-September. Depths 0, 50, 100, and 200

Directory TSO_TIME - Norms and anomalies of        temperature and salinity for station 5  of the transect IV       
 E1.XLS - Distribution of temperature           measurements over the years         
 E2.XLS - Distribution of salinity   measurements over         the years         

 E3.XLS - Monthly temperature norms         

 E4.XLS - Monthly salinity norms         

 E5.XLS - Temperature anomalies         

 E6.XLS - Salinity anomalies

Directory DATA - Data for 1898-1993       
 SHIPLIST.TXT - List of ships.
 Directory STEP_1 - Original data       
  1_01.CSV-1_12.CSV - January-  December
 Directory STEP_2 - Original data after  quality       control       
 2_01.CSV - 2_12.CSV- January-  December
 Directory STEP_3 - Interpolation to  standard       levels       
 3_01.CSV - 3_12.CSV - January-        December
 Directory STEP_4 - Interpolation to the         levels 5, 10, 15,...500 m       
  4_01.CSV - 4_12.CSV - January-        December
Directory PROGRAMM- Programs       

Directory SAM_CUT- Data sampling       
 SAM_CUT.EXE - Program of  data sampling from         CD-ROM         
 SAM_CUT.DAN - Example of  program's managing file.         

 SAM_CUT.LST - Example of  program execution protocol         

 SAM_CUTR.DOC - Program's  manual in Russian         

 SAM_CUTE.DOC - Program's  manual in English

 Directory SAM_OBJ - Objective analysis         
  SAM_OBJ.EXE - Field  computation program         
  SAM_OBJ.DAN - Example of program's managing file         

  SAM_CUT.LST - Example of program execution  protocol         

  SAM_OBJR.DOC - Program's  manual in Russian         

  SAM_OBJE.DOC - Program's manual in English         

  SAM_OBJ.GRD - Computation example

4.2. Data Formats       

Every oceanographic station has been put on the CD-ROM in the form of a       separate record, which is ended with the characters of transfer to a new       line and the line end character (HEX-code=0D0A). A decimal point in       numerical data is indicated in the explicit form. The comma character       (HEX-code=2C) is a separator between the parameters. Before the first data       record the file contains a line which lists the parameter's names. The       sequence of the parameter fields is fixed (Table 1a). The coordinates and       data of observations and the value of at least one parameter at every       station's levels is compulsory. Further, the information at observation       levels is entered in groups containing four digits. The groups are preset       sequentially for increasing depth values. In total, not more than 101       groups of values can be preset for the levels.         

Table 1a. Data Format
Parameter nameNumberField FormatParameter DescriptionStation Code110 DigitsStation Condition Code:             -  First 2 positions - NODC country code(1993), if code               unknown, the line �XX or �99� is preset.               
-  Positions 3 and 4 - NODC ship code (1993), if code               unknown, the line �XX� or �99� is preset;               
-  Positions 5 to 9 cruise number, if cruise unknown, the               line �XXXXX� or �99999� is preset;               
-  Position 10 - NODC instrument type (1993): 
�B�-             Nansen bottle �C�,�D�,�I� et al. - different probes �X�, �M�             - expendable and mechanical BTYear24 digits integerYear (YYYY)Month32 digits integerMonth (MM)Day42 digits integerDay (DD)Time5number with point to 6 digitsTime in GMT (HH.HHH with accuracy to thousandth parts of         hour)Latitude6number with point to 8 digitsDegrees (GGGG.GGG with accuracy to thousandth parts of degree),             northern latitude is positive, southern - negativeLongitude7number with point to 8 digitsDegrees (GGGG.GGG with accuracy to thousandth parts of degree);             eastern - positive, western - negativeDepth8number with point to 7 digitsMeters (DDDDD.D with accuracy to tenth parts of meter)L k1number with point to 6 digitsLevel in meters (DDDDD.D with accuracy to tenth part of         meter)T k2number with point to 6 digitsTemperature in oC (GGG.GG with accuracy to hundredth parts of             degree)S k3number with point to 6 digitsSalinity in pss (GG.GGG with accuracy to thousandth parts of             pss) O k4number with point to 6 digitsOxygen in mg/l (GGG.GG with accuracy to hundredth parts of           mg/l)Note: k is the number of the level               
5.  VARIABILITY OF       TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY       

5.1. Data Distribution       

Appendix B1 contains maps showing the distribution of stations       containing temperature data; B2 - temperature and salinity data; B3 -       temperature, salinity, and oxygen data. Appendix C show monthly station       distribution plots by individual years. The form of the data       representation selected provides a detailed idea about how the Barents Sea       is covered by measurements, and allows one to determine a region for which       time series can be formed.       

The primary data array on the CD-ROM has the following characteristics:       
-  the number of stations containing temperature profiles - 74,         256         
-  the number of stations containing temperature and salinity         profiles - 51,719         
-  the number of stations containing temperature, salinity and         oxygen profiles - 3,334 
5.2. Seasonal Cycle of Temperature and       Salinity       
The objective analysis method, given in section       3.5, was used for the calculation of the temperature, salinity, and       oxygen fields. The fields were computed at gridpoints with a spacing 10' x       30' over the region 66 - 82° N, 5- 10° E. The output of computation was in       the format ASCII GRID of the program SURFER used for plotting the contour       and three-dimensional maps. Appendix D contains the monthly average       temperature and salinity maps for levels 0, 30, 50, 100, and 200 m and the       seasonal maps of oxygen distribution at 0, 50, 100, and 200 m for the       period 1898-1993. These maps are represented in the form obtained using       SURFER without additional editing.         

The seasonal cycle of temperature and salinity variability for the       Barents Sea is determined by several factors, among which the following       should be mentioned. In summer, the process of warming of seawater surface       layer intensifies, the freshening of these layers due to thawing ice in       the north and the increase of river discharge in the south is observed; in       winter as compared to summer, the inflow of the Atlantic Waters increases       (Loeng, 1997). The differences between the summer and fall thermohaline       structure of the Barents Sea waters are most pronounced in the layer of 0       - 50 m . In quantitative form these differences can be described as       follows. In winter vertical homogeneity is observed, the temperature       varies within the limits 1.5-5° C, salinity varies in the range 34.5-35.3       pss. In summer the temperature changes from 10-12° C at the surface in the       southern part of the sea to the seawater freezing temperature at depth in       the north. At the surface, in the regions with ice melting and fresh water       discharge, the salinity decreases to 15pss, and as the depth increases,       the salinity tends to reach the winter time values. The winter type of       thermohaline structure is most marked from January to May, the summer -       from July to October.       

5.3. Interannual       Variability of Temperature and Salinity       

To illustrate the potentialities of using the CD-ROM oceanographic       database to analyze the interannual variability of the Barents Sea, we       consider thermohaline characteristics in the vicinity of Station 5       transect VI (71° 30' N, 33° 30' E) during 1898-1993. Station 5 has been       selected because its location represent the area of the Barents Sea most       dense with observations , and is situated within the water mass of the       warm Murmansk Flow. The data were interpolated to the station point and       for the analysis described in Chapter 3 of the present work. The       correlation radii were 180 km for temperature and 270 km for salinity.       

The most oceanographic data with temperature and salinity collected in       this region are from the period 1970-1990 (Appendix E,       Figs. E1 and E2). Seasonal data distribution is fairly uniform. This       permits the computation of monthly values of temperature and salinity at       the levels 0, 50, and 100 m averaged over 1898 - 1993. Figures E3 and       E4 (Appendix E) describe the annual cycle of variations of temperature       and salinity norms at Station 5 of transect VI.       

Variations of the temperature and salinity norms at depths of 0, 50,       and 100 m (Fig. E3 and E4) conform with the existing ideas about seasonal       variability of the thermohaline processes in the Barents Sea: vertical       uniformity is observed in the winter period, the maximum of the summer       temperature is displaced as the depth rises, whereas salinity change is       practically synchronous at different levels.       

The annual average temperature and salinity anomaly values for the 0-50       m layer are computed on the basis of monthly norms (Figs. E5 and       E6). The diagrams in Figs. E5 and E6 indicate that the beginning of       the century was the coldest period for this region. Temperature maxima,       which can be traced from the limited data available, correspond to the       beginning of the 1930s and 1950s. In the second half of the 1960s some       cooling occurred, which in the early 1990s, was replaced by a warming       tendency in the course of several cycles.       

This section considers the interannual variability for the area of one       station. As follows from the observation density distribution, shown in Figs.B1 and B2,       the same analysis can be performed for the other stations on transects VI and       XXIX. Thus, the temperature and salinity anomalies can be computed not       as the averaged values for the entire year but as the average values for       winter and spring (section       5.2).         

6. SUMMARY       

Data       distribution  indicates that the Barents Sea is one of the       regions in the world's oceans mostly covered with observations. We have       used objective analysis to construct climatic fields of temperature and       salinity distribution . These fields agree well with existing       qualitative notions about basic features in variability of the Barents Sea       thermohaline fields. They are insufficient to allow for the effect of       river discharge in the coastal zone in the southern Barents Sea and ice       melting in the northern latitudes. To the largest degree, these features       are manifested in summer within the layer of 0-30m .         

7. FUTURE WORKS       

In the future, it is planned to supplement the data available with       measurements for the upper layer, as well as with the deep sea stations by       digitizing manuscript data. In addition we hope to improve the data       quality control and objective analysis procedures, allowing for the bottom       topography and the data on the features of variability of oceanographic       variables in the separate regions of the Barents Sea.       

REFERENCES       

1. Artem'ev A.O., Blinov N.I., 1986. On the possibility of       reconstructing of the temperature field of the Arctic Basin through the       optimum interpolation method. Trudy AANII, vol. 408, 117-122.       

2. Barents sea, 1990. Hydrometeorology and hydrochemistry of USSR seas.       Vol. 1, vyp.1, Leningrad, Gidrometeoizdat, 280p.       

3. Churgin, J., 1992. Proceedings of the Ocean Climate Data Workshop.       Unpublished manuscript. Available from Users Services Branch, NODC, E/OC2,       1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring MD.       

4. Denisov V.V. Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A.,1989. Scientific and       methodical principles of orga-nization of the system of oceanographic       obser-vations to study the large-scale variability of the Barents Sea.       Trudy AANII, vol. 415, 126-135.       

5. Denisov V.V. Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., 1991. Large-scale       oceanographic surveys and their methodical significance for the complex       study of the Barents Sea(exemplified by BAREX-84). Problems of Arctic       Region and Antarctic Region, vol. 65, 121-133.       

6. Denisov V.V. Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., Petrov I.A., Rodin A.I.,       1990. Study of oceanographic fields of the Barents Sea. In: Ekologiya I       biologicheskaya produktivnost Barentseva Morya AN SSSR, M. Nauka, 62-69.       

7. Denisov V.V. Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., Shirokolobov V.N., 1987. On       the research of hydrological conditions of the Barents Sea based on       interdepartmental multidisciplinary expedi-tions. In: Multidisciplinary       oceanographic research in the Barents and White Seas. Apatity. Izdat. Kola       filial of AN SSSR, 9-13.       

8. Gandin L.S., 1965. General problem on optimum interpolation and       extrapolation of meteorological fields. Trudy GGO, vol. 168, 75-83.       

9. Gandin L.S., Kagan P.L., 1966. Application of meteorological fields       analysis for study of physical characteristics of the ocean and       atmosphere. In: Problemy polucheniya i obrabotki informatsii o fizicheskom       sostoyanii okeana i atmosferi nad nim. Kiev, Naukova Dumka, 59-67.       

10. Golubev V.A., Denisov V.V. Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., 1985.       Long-term program of the interdepartmental multidisciplinary       oceanogra-phic research of theBarents Sea (project Barents). Reprint       AANII. Leningrad, 94pp.       

11. Golubev V.A., Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., 1989. On the objective       analysis of oceanographic fields based on ship surveillance data of the       Barents Sea. Trudy AANII, vol. 415, 117-126.       

12. Golubev V.A., Zuyev A.N., Lebedev I.A., 1992. Methods of the       processing and objective analysis of oceanographic data. Trudy AANII, vol.       426, 7-19.       

13. Gromova I.I., Kozhevnikova N.N., 1984. Comparison between synoptic       and objective analysis of sea surface temperature. Trudy Gidro-metsentra       SSSR, vol. 263, 106-112.       

14. Ivanov Y.A., 1981. Large-scale and synoptic variability of oceanic       fields. M. Nauka, 168pp.       

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17. Loeng, H., Ozhigin, V., and Adlandsvick, B., 1997. Water fluxes       through the Barents Sea. ICES, Journal of Marine Sciences, 54, 310-317.       

18. Nelepo B.A., Timchenko I.E., 1978. System-based principles of       oceanographic observations. Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 222pp.       

19. NODC, 1993. NODC User's Guide. NOAA, Washington, D.C.       

20. Reiniger, R.F. and C.P Ross, 1968: A method of interpolation with       application to oceanographic data. Deep Sea Res., 9, 185-193.       

21. Sukhovey V.F. 1971. Reconstruction of characteristics of       hydrological fields through the analysis in situ data. In: Morsk gidrofiz.       issled. N.3(53). Sevastopol. MGI AN USSR, 1971, 91-115.         

22. Surfer for Windows, 1996. User's Guide, Golden Software, Inc.       

23. Tantsyura A.I., 1959. On the Barents Sea Flows. Trudy PINRO, vol.       11, 35-53.       

24. Tereshchenko V.V., 1997. Seasonal and interannual temperature and       salinity variations of main flows at the Kola section of the Barents Sea.       Murmansk. Izdat. PINRO, 71pp.       

25. UNESCO, 1991. Processing of Oceanographic Station Data. Imprimerie       des Presses Universitaites de France, Vendome, 138 pp.       

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