Study of snowmelt impact on SST and TSM fields in the coastal zone of Barents Sea

Spatial and temporal variations of SST and biological fields were observed in the coastal area off Novaja Zemlja, Barents Sea. Focus is on the relation between SST and biological parameters. The variations of snowmelt runoff from land (glaciers and river runoff) were estimated using SAR imagery. A relation between snowmelt input from land and ocean Chi a as well as TSM concentration was observed based on a case study. The data showed that the TSM and Chi a concentration increased significantly ~30 days after the snowmelt over land started to increase.