System Nordsee 
255 
Physical Oceanography 
Fig. 3-21: Summery temperature stratification (°C) along 56 °N for years 2002 through 2008... 
118 
Fig. 3-22: Temperature stratification (°C) in 2005 at MARNET stations >Deutsche BuchU, >Ems< 
and >NSB Ilk Sensor depths: 3,6,10,15,20,25,30,35 m 120 
Fig. 3-23: Time series of annual (Dec. through Nov.) North Sea SST together with linear trend 
and regimes. Annual data blue if < 9.86 °C (base period mean 1971- 1993), red otherwise. 
Right scale: standardised departures (o = 0.46 K) 122 
Fig. 3-24: Sketch of annual temperature swing (mean and seasonal extremes) in continental 
and maritime climates (CON & MAR) as well as in cool and warm mishmash-climates (MMC/ 
cold-regime & MMW/ warm-regime) 123 
Fig. 3-25: Linear relation between annual North Sea SST and winter NAO index for various time 
windows. Slopes in Kper index unit with 95 % confidence interval. Right scale: standardized 
anomaly (1971- 1993, 9.86 ± 0.46 °C) 127 
Fig. 3-26: Cumulated standardized anomalies for winter (DJF) and annual (December through 
November) North Sea SST versus cumulated winter NAO index (Koslowski and Loewe 1994) 
during 1969 - 2006 128 
Fig. 3-27: Same as Fig. 3-25, except for the difference between SSTs in winter (DJF) and preced 
ing fall (November). Right scale: standardized anomaly (1971 - 1993,-2.99 ±0.63 K)... 129 
Fig. 3-28: Same as Fig. 3-26, except for the difference between SSTs in winter (DJF) and in the 
preceding fall (November) 130 
Fig. 3-29: Accumulated areal ice volume for the German North Sea coast during 1897 - 2005.. 
132 
Fig. 3-30: Seasonal near-surface and -bottom salinity distributions in 2005 136 
Fig. 3-31: Salinity stratification in summer 2005 (RVGauR, Cruise #446) 137 
Fig. 3-32: Salinity in the >Fair Isle CurrenU (0-100 m). Stippled: Annual composites and sample 
size (circle); Blue/Red: 5-/18-point Gaussian low-pass filter. Right scale: standardised depar 
tures of raw annual composites from 1971 -2000 base period mean. Raw data courtesy 
S. Flughes, Fisheries Research Services, Aberdeen, UK. 139 
Fig. 3-33: Probability density function (f) and cumulative distribution function (F) for the nor 
malized excursion (z = x/amplitude) of a harmonic oscillator. The probability Pr(Z < z) to ob 
serve the oscillator in states Z<zis given by the area under f(z) in the interval [- 1,Z]. States 
within and beyond ± 7 a (standard deviation) are egually likely (50%) 140 
Fig. 3-34: Band-pass filtered salinity in the >Fair Isle CurrenU (0- 100 m). Right scale: standard 
ized anomalies (1971 - 2000). Relative freguency of salinities exceeding ± 7 standard devia 
tion (heavy bullets) amounts to 44%. Probabilities of observing the state of a harmonic 
oscillator within intervals ± 7 and ±1 to A = ± 2 a5 (amplitude) are 50 % each 141 
Fig. 3-35: Annual runoff of Elbe River at Neu-Darchau weir with long-term mean (1971 -2000) 
and 95 %-limits. 1 km 3 /a is eguivalent to 31.7 m 3 /s. (Raw data courtesy WSA-Lauenburg.).. 
142 
Fig. 3-36: Monthly mean and maximum runoff of Elbe River in 2005 at Neu-Darchau weir to 
gether with 1971 -2000 base period monthly means and 95%-band (climatology ±1.96 
standard deviations). 1000 m 3 /s are eguivalent to 2.592 km 3 /month. (Raw data courtesy of 
WSA-Lauenburg.) 142 
Fig. 3-37: Seasonal cycle 2005 of monthly mean SSS at Flelgoland Roads together with monthly 
extremes, 1971 - 2000 base period monthly means and 95%-band (climatology ± 1.96stan- 
dard deviations). (Raw data courtesy ofK. Wiltshire, Biologische Anstalt Flelgoland.) ... 143