Theory 08/Polar & Sea Ice/Arctic shelves
Stratification Follows Discharge
The claim
Coastal stratification in the Arctic is set by the ratio of river discharge to wind mixing, so a windy year can erase a large freshwater input.
01Mechanism
Freshwater stratifies while wind mixes; the ratio determines whether the buoyant layer persists into summer.
02Prediction
Stratification should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Stratification tracking discharge alone would remove mixing.