Modeling of Internal Tides in the Kara Gates Strait, Arctic Ocean: Characteristics and Energetics

Tidal mixing in the Kara Gates Strait (KGS) modulates transport of warm water from the Barents Sea to the Kara Sea, playing a pivotal role in the transformation of Atlantic Water and the heat budget of the Arctic. Although previous studies have identified the presence of large‐amplitude internal waves by the interaction of M 2 tidal currents with rough topography, understanding of the energetics and dynamics of M 2 internal tides (ITs) in the KGS remains limited. Using a high‐resolution model, this study investigates the generation, propagation, and dissipation of M 2 ITs. The results reveal that, in addition to the previously identified source in the central KGS, the slope of Vaygach Island serves as another major source of ITs with energy intensity exceeding that of the central strait. Background circulation confines the ITs within ∼10 km off the slope forming atypical coastal trapped waves (CTWs). Theoretical solutions for these CTWs reveal a dominance of high vertical modes with energy dissipation exhibiting a “sandwich‐like” structure. Applying the Lagrangian filtering, internal tides and lee waves along the KGS are separated. Dissipation associated with lee waves ranges from 10 −7 to 10 −6 W/kg comparable to those induced by ITs, yet their role in driving local mixing has been largely underestimated in previous studies. These results provide new insights into the dynamics around the KGS and their implications for Arctic tidal mixing processes.