INFLUENCE OF RIVER DISCHARGE ON SPATIAL-D ISTRIBUTION OF HYDROLOGICALCHARACTERISTICS IN THE KARA SEA

Influence of river discherge on horizontal and vertical distributions of temperature and salinity in the Kara Sea is considered. On the base of historical data isolines of mean climatic surface temperature and salinity are mapped. Horizontal distribution of surface salinity and s patial distribution of temperature and salinity at two meridional sect ions including Ob and Yenisei Rivers estuaries are analyzed on the bas e of data obtained in the R/V ''Dmitry Mendeleev'' cruise 49. Existenc e of the solitary surface plume (with salinity about 10%) in the weste rn part of the Kara Sea is shown. This plume is separated from Ob and Yenisei Rivers estuaries by waters with salinity greater then 20parts per thousand. Comparison with historical data shows that such far prop agation of river waters in the western direction is unique. Principal river surface plume in comparison with historical data was pressed to the coast. In the northern part of the Ob and Yenisei Rivers estuaries salinity was greater than mean climatic values and in the Yenisei Riv er estuary it was anomalously great. Analysis of spatial distribution of hydrological characteristics at the Yenisei River section shows the existence of a sharp front at 74-degrees-N (with horizontal gradients greater then 1-degrees-C/km and 1 parts per thousand/km) which can be considered as a boundary front separating river plume from the sea wa ters. There was diffuse frontal zone with gradients less than 0.1-degr ees-C/km and 0.1 parts per thousand/km at the Ob River section.