ABSTRACT
The Arctic Ocean has been described as a ‘polar Mediterranean’ region for it is an enclosed sea, partly ice-covered, and surrounded by vast polar and subpolar deserts (Rey 1982). The waters are stratified and three main layers are recognised: Surface Water (0-200 m) with variable salinity and temperature, Atlantic Water (200 to ~900 m) with salinity of 34.9‰ and temperatures of 0.5 °C at ~400 to 600 m and close to 0 °C from 600 to 900 m, and Arctic Bottom Water at depths >900 m with salinity 34.95‰ and temperature about −0.5 °C.
