Over the past decades, the sea ice extent had declined, while its liquid freshwater content has increased primarily because of the melting of glaciers and sea ice. 

Understanding the Arctic freshwater system is crucial for studying the impacts of climate change in the region. Also, changes in the Arctic hydrography have direct repercussions on the rest of the planet through feedback mechanisms and interactions with water circulation.

In a recent study, Umbert, M., De Andrés, E., Sánchez, M., Gabarró, et al, evaluate the freshwater content, using surface salinity measurements from the satellite SMOS mission and TOPAZ4b reanalysis salinity at depth, in the Beaufort Gyre and validate the results with in situ measurements. By exploiting these data, the team enhance our understanding of the distribution and dynamics of the freshwater content in the Beaufort Gyre region.