Features of Eddy Generation in the Barents Sea Under Conditions of the Polar Front Weakening

A study of eddy generation in the northern Barents Sea was conducted using satellite radar data in conditions of a complete absence of ice and a weakened Polar Temperature Front in July 2022. Based on the analysis of 89 satellite radar images, 598 eddy formations were identified in ice-free water. 432 eddies had a cyclonic rotation type (72%), 166 had an anticyclonic rotation type (28%). The influence of the Polar Temperature Front, wind conditions, tidal currents and bottom relief variability on eddy generation was analyzed. It was found that the main cause of eddy formation in the Barents Sea is the instability of currents resulting from their interaction with bottom relief features.