Contrasting patterns of river runoff and sea-ice melted water in the Canada Basin

The fractions of river runoff and sea-ice melted water in the Canada Basin in summer 2003 were determined by the salinity-δ18O system. The fraction of river runoff (f R) was high in the upper 50 m of the water column and decreased with depth and latitude. The signals of the river runoff were confined to water depths above 200 m. The total amount of river runoff in the Canada Basin was higher than that in other arctic seas, indicating that the Canada Basin is a main storage region for river runoff. The penetration depth of the sea-ice melted water was less than 50 m to the south of 78°N, while it was about 150 m to the north of 78°N. The total amount of sea-ice melted water was much higher to the north of 78°N than to the south of 78°N, indicating the sea-ice melted waters accumulated on the ice edge. The abundant sea-ice melted water on the ice edge was attributed to the earlier melted water in the southern Canada Basin and transported by the Beaufort Gyre or the reinforced melting of sea ice by solar radiation in the polynya.