ABSTRACT

The aim of the WACuM project is to measure sea currents in the Western Arctic during cruises of Canadian icebreakers to the Arctic Ocean. The Canadian IPY project calls C3O - Canada's Three Oceans. C3O will use two Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers, whose current mission tracks encircle Canada, to obtain a snapshot of large-scale ocean and ecosystem properties, and thus establish a scientific basis for sustained monitoring of Canada's Sub-Arctic and Arctic seas in the wake of global warming. The WACuM project is a continuation of the collaboration with Canadian oceanographers during the 2004 and 2005 cruises of CCGS Louis S St-Laurent. During the cruises currents were measured by means of LADCP - Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler during standard CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) casts. Results are compared with calculated baroclinic currents, data from moorings and high resolution ocean-atmosphere-sea ice coupled model. The Arctic Ocean currents pattern, sea ice cower and especially its changes are essential for our global climate change understanding.