Fram Strait is the deep ocean passage between Greenland and Svalbard connecting the Arctic with the northern Atlantic. Its opposing flows transport heat, freshwater and sea ice, so it is an important location for measuring exchanges that influence ocean circulation and sea ice thermodynamics.
A heat-transport estimate needs both flow and temperature: warmer water does not imply a larger heat transport if its volume flux decreases. Likewise, estimating freshwater transport requires salinity and a stated reference composition. Long-term observing systems combine fixed instruments with mobile platforms to resolve these transports rather than treating one cruise as a complete mean state.[ref]
Ocean: FRAM by Alfred Wegener Institute. Observatory description: long-term measurements in Fram Strait and complementary stationary/mobile observing systems
Fram Strait is a body of water located between Greenland to the west and the Svalbard archipelago to the east. It connects the Arctic Ocean to the Greenland Sea and serves as a critical passage for sea ice movement, ocean currents, and marine life in the region. The strait is named after the Norwegian polar ship Fram, which was used in polar exploration.
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