The northern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea represent the gateway from the Pacific to the Arctic. This contiguous marine system encompasses one of the largest continental shelves in the world and serves as the sole point of connection between the North Pacific and Arctic Ocean. This region has unique attributes and complex dynamics, driven by the convergence of distinct water masses, dynamic currents, advection between Pacific and Arctic systems, and important latitudinal gradients relevant to stratification and water mass structure, water temperature, and seasonal ice cover. Many processes and interactions in the region appear to be changing with important implications for both hydrography and ecology. Our analyses access remote and local data sources in US and Russian waters to characterize oceanographic conditions and analyze the implications of dramatic shifts in recent years. Previously, this region appeared resistant to trends apparent elsewhere in the greater Arctic. Now, the Pacific Arctic also appears to be in rapid transition. The conditions observed in 2017–2019 are unprecedented. We note important shifts in the phenology and magnitude of physical variables, including sea-ice extent, concentration, and duration, as well as extreme reduction in the extent and intensity of the related Bering Sea cold pool. We also note distinct regional dynamics in sea surface temperature in the Bering-Chukchi system, distinguishing western, eastern and northern areas of the Bering Sea. Specifically, our analyses distinguish the northern Bering Sea as an important transition zone between the Pacific and Arctic with higher frequency variability in sea surface temperature anomalies. Our results suggest that the strength and position of the Aleutian Low may be linked to warm and cold phases in the Bering Sea and has an important role in large-scale circulation. While cold winds out of the north are necessary to form ice in the northern Bering Sea, strong winds may be associated with weak sea ice, as wind action may break ice and enhance vertical mixing, counteracting enhanced sea-ice production from the advection of cold air. Research in this important region is complicated by international borders but may be enhanced through international collaboration. This analysis represents an attempt to integrate data across Russian and US waters to more fully represent system-wide processes, to contrast regional trends, and to better understand physical interactions.

白令海和楚科奇海北部是从太平洋到北极的门户。这个相连的海洋系统涵盖了世界上最大的大陆架之一，是北太平洋和北冰洋之间唯一的连接点。该地区具有独特的属性和复杂的动力，这是由不同的水团，动态水流，太平洋和北极系统之间的对流以及与分层和水团结构，水温和季节性冰盖有关的重要纬度梯度共同作用所驱动的。该地区的许多过程和相互作用似乎正在发生变化，对水文学和生态学都具有重要意义。我们的分析访问了美国和俄罗斯水域中的远程和本地数据源，以表征海洋状况并分析近年来急剧变化的影响。以前，该地区似乎不受北极地区其他地区明显趋势的影响。现在，太平洋北极地区似乎也在快速过渡。2017-2019年观察到的情况是前所未有的。我们注意到物候学和物理变量大小的重要变化，包括海冰的范围，浓度和持续时间，以及相关白令海冷池的范围和强度的极大降低。我们还注意到白令丘克奇系统中海表温度的明显区域动态，将白令海的西部，东部和北部地区区分开来。特别，我们的分析将白令海北部区分为太平洋和北极之间的重要过渡带，海表温度异常的频率变化较大。我们的结果表明，阿留申低点的强度和位置可能与白令海的冷热阶段有关，并且在大规模环流中具有重要作用。尽管在北部白令海中结冰需要北风，但强风可能与海冰薄弱有关，因为风的作用可能会使冰破碎并增强垂直混合，从而抵消了由于冷平流而增加的海冰产量空气。这个重要地区的研究因国际边界而复杂化，但可以通过国际合作加以加强。