What is that drain east of newfoundland

The Labrador Sea: Nature’s Giant Plughole off Newfoundland

Ever looked at a map of the ocean floor east of Newfoundland and noticed what looks like a giant drain? Well, it’s not actually a drain in the seafloor, but it is a place where some seriously important ocean stuff happens. Think of it more like nature’s plughole, where the ocean does a bit of a reset. This area, centered around the Labrador Sea, is a major player in how the world’s oceans circulate and how our climate behaves. It all boils down to something called deep convection and the creation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Sounds complicated, right? Let’s break it down.

The Labrador Sea: A Churning Cauldron

The Labrador Sea, nestled between Greenland and the Labrador Peninsula, is one of the few spots on the planet where the ocean really mixes itself up. We’re talking about open-ocean deep convection, a process where the water column essentially flips itself inside out, all thanks to brutal winter cooling.

So, how does this oceanic magic trick work?

First, winter hits, and it hits hard. Frigid air sucks the heat right out of the sea’s surface, making the water colder and, crucially, denser. Think of it like this: cold water is heavier than warm water.

Then, you’ve got the Labrador Sea’s currents swirling around in a circle, a pattern called cyclonic circulation. This helps bring different types of water together, which is like adding all the ingredients to a cake mix.

Finally, the dense surface water starts to sink, pushing the lighter water below it out of the way. This sinking action keeps going until the water finds a level where the density matches, creating a thoroughly mixed water column that can plunge down as far as 2,500 meters! That’s deeper than most submarines can go.

From Labrador Sea Water to Global Climate Control

This deep convection process is the secret ingredient for making Labrador Sea Water (LSW). LSW is a special type of water – cold, not too salty, and packed with oxygen. It even carries traces of human activity, which scientists can use to track its movement.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. LSW forms the upper layer of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). NADW is a massive, deep-sea current that flows southwards through the Atlantic, and it’s a key part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC is like a giant conveyor belt for the ocean, shuffling heat from the tropics up towards the North Atlantic. This is why Europe has such a relatively mild climate, despite being at the same latitude as Canada. Without the AMOC, winters in London would be a whole lot more like winters in Winnipeg.

A Delicate Balance: Climate Change and the Labrador Sea

The thing about the Labrador Sea is that it’s not always the same. The amount of deep convection that happens varies from year to year, and even over longer periods. Several factors influence this variability.

For example, really harsh winters, often linked to something called the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), tend to crank up the convection. On the other hand, if a lot of freshwater melts from Arctic ice and flows into the Labrador Sea, it can make the surface water less salty, which can actually stop the convection process. It’s a delicate balance.

Climate change is throwing a wrench into this whole system. As the Arctic warms up, more freshwater is melting, which could put a damper on deep convection. Changes in weather patterns could also mess with things. If deep convection weakens in the Labrador Sea, it could slow down the AMOC, and that could have some pretty serious consequences for the world’s climate.

The Labrador Current: A Chilly River in the Sea

Don’t forget the Labrador Current, a cold ocean current that streams south along the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland. It’s basically a mix of water from the West Greenland Current, the Baffin Island Current, and the outflow from the Hudson Strait. This current carries icy, relatively fresh water straight from the Arctic. And, famously, it also carries icebergs, making life interesting for ships in the area!

Eventually, the Labrador Current bumps into the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. When these two currents mix, they create some seriously dense fogs and some incredibly rich fishing grounds. Changes in the Labrador Current can also affect the oxygen levels and temperatures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which can have a big impact on the marine life there.

So, What Does It All Mean?

The “drain” east of Newfoundland isn’t just some random feature on the ocean floor. It’s a region where some really important ocean processes are happening. The Labrador Sea is a crucial site for deep convection and the formation of NADW, which plays a vital role in keeping our planet’s climate in check. The Labrador Current influences the region’s temperature, salinity, and the health of its marine ecosystems. Understanding all of this is key to figuring out how climate change will impact the North Atlantic and, ultimately, the entire world. It’s a complex system, but one worth understanding. After all, it’s shaping our world in ways we’re only just beginning to grasp.