In this study on the basis of various data sets we traced formation of a ‘dome’- shaped density structure over the Central Bank - an important morphological element of the Barents Sea bottom topography. The major conclusion, which follows from the performed analysis, is that under changed conditions at the sea surface, transformation of thermohaline structure during the cold season principally differs from that under the mean climate conditions in the 20th century. Transition from the stratified vertical structure (in summer) to the homogeneous one (in winter) is governed by thermal convection. Additional input of warm and salty water with inflowing Atlantic origin water is crucial to allow vertical mixing to reach the seabed before the temperature drops to the freezing point. Cascading of dense water from the bank commences as soon as the convection goes down to the level of seabed. The influence of cascading on the Barents Sea hydrographic structure extends several hundreds of kilometers off the bank. In the absence of advective influx of salt and warm water vertical convection can also reach the seabed. However, under this condition formation of sea ice and haline convection is required. In this case water temperature in the homogeneous water column over the bank is close to the freezing point. Obtained results suggest that in the warmer climate the role of sea ice in winter transformation of thermohaline conditions over the bank is opposite to what it was in the 20th century: imported sea ice blocks convection, thus making the water in the dense ‘dome’ warmer than it typically was in colder climate.

在这项基于各种数据集的研究中，我们追踪了中央银行上空“圆顶”形密度结构的形成——这是巴伦支海海底地形的一个重要形态要素。分析得出的主要结论是，在海面变化条件下，冷季温盐结构的转变与20世纪平均气候条件下的转变主要不同。从分层垂直结构（夏季）到均质结构（冬季）的过渡受热对流控制。额外输入温水和咸水以及流入的大西洋源水对于在温度下降到冰点之前允许垂直混合到达海床至关重要。一旦对流下降到海床的水平，密集的水就会从岸边开始级联。级联对巴伦支海水文结构的影响延伸到离岸数百公里。在没有平流流入的盐和温水的情况下，垂直对流也可以到达海床。然而，在这种情况下，需要形成海冰和盐碱对流。在这种情况下，河岸上均质水柱中的水温接近冰点。获得的结果表明，在较温暖的气候中，海冰在河岸温盐条件冬季转变中的作用与 20 世纪相反：进口海冰阻止对流，从而使密集“圆顶”中的水变暖比通常在寒冷的气候下。