Scientists from the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted a unique study of wave processes in the Vilkitsky Strait, a key area of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) connecting the Kara Sea with the Laptev Sea. This area has remained poorly studied due to its short ice season and remoteness, but growing interest in the Arctic and increased navigation activity necessitate obtaining accurate data on the natural features of this critically important section of the NSR.
Measurements taken at three moored stations over three weeks in the fall of 2019 revealed high-intensity internal waves in the Vilkitsky Strait. Although the study region is located north of the critical latitude for free-flowing semidiurnal internal waves, the measurements revealed semidiurnal tidal internal waves with amplitudes up to 17 meters. Oceanographers note that this phenomenon has a significant impact on the marine environment: internal waves contribute to the redistribution of nutrients, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, and can also create hazardous conditions for underwater navigation.
Through their research, scientists have demonstrated that the propagation of internal tides is accompanied by the generation of intense, nonlinear, short-period internal waves with periods of 5–120 minutes and heights of 4–20 meters. These waves predominantly propagate along the strait, in accordance with the tidal current vectors. However, satellite data also confirm the presence of internal waves propagating across the strait, opening up new perspectives on the mechanisms of their formation.
"This study not only expands our understanding of internal waves in the Arctic Ocean but also highlights the importance of further oceanographic research for planning various offshore exploration and production projects, laying underwater communications, and ensuring the safety of Arctic shipping. Internal wave data is essential, among other things, for preventing potential disasters, such as the 2021 submarine incident off the coast of Indonesia, when an intense internal wave sent the submarine to extreme depths," noted Elizaveta Khimchenko, PhD, senior researcher at the Ocean Acoustics Laboratory at the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the first author of the study.
- , , , , , , (2025). Tidally generated internal waves in the Vilkitsky Strait, Arctic Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 130, e2025JC022805. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JC022805