HYDROGRAPHIC STRUCTURE AND VARIABILITY OF THE KARA SEA - IMPLICATIONSFOR POLLUTANT DISTRIBUTION

Nuclear activity on land and dumping of waste in the Siberian shelf se as mean that the Kara Sea is most likely to experience inputs of radio activity. Industrial and other anthropogenic activities in the expansi ve Ob' and Yenisey watersheds also contribute organochlorines, heavy m etals and oil to this region. Contaminant fate is influenced by the di stribution of the river discharge and processes associated with ice fo rmation and ocean currents. Although average conditions are important in the transport of pollutants, events such as storms and iceberg goug ing may be critical in deciding the ultimate face of dumped and releas ed contaminants.