Arild Sundfjord

Current activities

ICE-Fluxes - Study on the quantification and relevance of interactions and fluxes between sea ice, atmosphere and ocean in the Arctic (2009-2014).

CONFLUX - Fate of organic material in the ocean: Controlling mechanisms in vertical flux regulation (2009-2012).

AWAKE - Arctic climate and environments of the Nordic Seas and the Svalbard - Greenland Area (2010-2012)

ALKEKONGE- Response of marine and terrestrial ecosystems to climate changes in Arctic – links between physical environment, biodiversity of zooplankton and seabird populations (2008-2010).

Fram Arctic Lab – collaboration projects with AARI, St. Petersburg.

Career

• Presently - Research scientist, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø
• 2007-2009 Research scientist at Norwegian institute for water research (NIVA), Tromsø
• 2003-2007 PhD student at University of Bergen/Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø
• 2001-2003 Research scientist at Norwegian institute for water research (NIVA), Bergen/Tromsø
• 1999-2001 Research assistant at Norwegian institute for water research (NIVA), Bergen
• 1998 Research assistant at UNIS, Longyearbyen and NIVA, Bergen
• 1994-1997 MSc student of Physical Oceanography at University of Bergen
• 1993-1994 1-yr undergrad course of Spanish language and Latin-American studies at U. of Bergen
• 1992-1993 Military service at Naval submarine division, Bergen
• 1989-1992 Marine technology engineering degree, Bergen College of Engineering

Areas of interest and expertise

Upper-ocean vertical mixing processes are highly important for ocean dynamics on a wide range of scales. Turbulence affects stratification and ice melt and formation, and thus also contributes to the horizontal density gradients that are important for the large-scale oceanic circulation. In addition to vertical exchange of heat and salt, nutrients for primary production and dissolved CO2 are among the other important constituents that are affected by varying vertical mixing driven by wind, tidal current shear, internal waves etc.

Field studies linking vertical processes with their driving forces and the resulting impact on biology and chemistry are important. I also work with regional- and local-scale numerical ocean modeling, including ice and biological modules, with the goal of improvement of vertical parameterizations as well as better understanding of fundamental exchange processes in Arctic regions.

References/Bibliography

Ellingsen I., D. Slagstad and A. Sundfjord. Modification of water masses in the Barents Sea and its coupling to ice dynamics; a model study, 2009. Ocean Dynamics, DOI 10.1007/s10236-009-0230-5.
Sundfjord, A., I. Ellingsen, D. Slagstad and H. Svendsen, 2008. Vertical mixing in the MIZ of the Barents Sea – Results from numerical model experiments. Deep Sea Research-II, 55, 2154–2168, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.05.027.

K. Blachowiak-Samolyk, J. E. Søreide, S. Kwasniewski, A. Sundfjord, H. Hop, S. Falk-Petersen, E. N. Hegseth, 2008. Hydrodynamic control of mesozooplankton abundance and biomass in Svalbard waters (79-81oN). Deep-Sea Research-II, 55, 2210–2224, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.05.018.

E. N. Hegseth and A. Sundfjord, 2008. Intrusion and blooming of Atlantic phytoplankton species in the high Arctic. Journal of Marine Systems, 74, 108–119, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2007.11.011.

Sundfjord, A., I. Fer, Y. Kasajima and H. Svendsen, 2007. Observations of turbulent mixing and hydrography in the marginal ice zone of the Barents Sea. J. Geophysical Res., 112: C05008, doi:10.1029/2006JC003524.

Fer, I. and A. Sundfjord, 2007. Observations of upper ocean boundary layer dynamics in the marginal ice zone. J. Geophysical Res., 112: C04012, doi:10.1029/2005JC003428.