Hydrographic structure and variability of the Kara Sea: Implications for pollutant distribution

Nuclear activity on land and dumping of waste in the Siberian shelf seas mean that the Kara Sea is most likely to experience inputs of radioactivity. Industrial and other anthropogenic activities in the expansive Obʹ and Yenisey watersheds also contribute organochlorines, heavy metals and oil to this region. Contaminant fate is influenced by the distribution of the river discharge and processes associated with ice formation and ocean currents. Although average conditions are important in the transport of pollutants, events such as storms and iceberg gouging may be critical in deciding the ultimate fate of dumped and released contaminants.