3. Arctic-Flow

Summary

Arctic-Flow is an international project investigating how Arctic and sub-Arctic ocean circulation is shifting under climate pressure. The project will generate new 16-year temporal series of satellite-derived freshwater and density flux products for Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, by combining satellite estimates of Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Surface Currents, and Sea Surface Salinity. 

The science focus is to understand how upper-ocean stratification and water-mass transformation are evolving in the subpolar North Atlantic and the Nordic Seas. By providing dense water to the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), ventilating the deep ocean, and impacting heat, salinity, oxygen, and carbon dioxide storage, the vertical convection of the ocean is a fundamental process for the Earth’s climate system. 

The AMOC is one of Earth’s recognized climate tipping points. Tracking its evolution from space is essential to anticipate climate change impacts that extend far beyond the polar regions.

Our contribution

We lead project management and the promotion and outreach activities of Arctic-Flow, ensuring the consortium runs smoothly and that the project’s scientific results reach the wider research, policy, and public communities. We also contribute technically, drawing on our expertise in microwave radiometry and sea surface salinity retrievals — particularly relevant in cold-water regions, where current L-band radiometers face well-known sensitivity limitations.

Key activities:

• Project management (WP8000).
• Promotion and outreach activities (WP7000).
• Technical contribution to satellite-based salinity analysis in cold waters.
• Coordination across an international, multi-disciplinary consortium.
• Knowledge transfer to climate research and modeling communities.

Dates

• Status: Ongoing.
• Time series scope: 16 years of satellite data.

Partners

• European Space Agency (ESA).
• Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN) — Poland.
• Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) — Spain.
• O.A.Sys GmbH — Germany.
• Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) — Denmark / Greenland.

Related links

• Arctic-Flow official site
• Arctic-Flow project (ESA EO Science for Society)