Why is it impossible to have an Arctic Circumpolar Current?

http://www.whoi.edu/science/PO/arcticgroup/projects/proshjohnson-two-regimes.pdf

To understand why it is impossible to have an Arctic Circumpolar Current, we need to consider the characteristics and dynamics of the Arctic region.

The Arctic Ocean is essentially a semi-enclosed basin surrounded by landmasses, such as North America, Eurasia, and Greenland. This geography is fundamentally different from that of the Southern Ocean in the Antarctic, where a circumpolar current - the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) - exists.

The ACC in the Southern Ocean is created by the lack of continental landmasses at high latitudes. This allows the oceanic current to flow continuously in a circle around the Earth, essentially unimpeded by any land. This uninterrupted flow is what gives rise to a circumpolar current.

In contrast, the Arctic Ocean is predominantly surrounded by land, with only a few narrow passageways connecting it to other oceans, such as the Bering Strait and the Fram Strait. These openings are relatively small and are not conducive to supporting a continuous, unimpeded current around the Arctic.

Additionally, the Arctic Ocean is characterized by the presence of sea ice, which covers a significant portion of its surface during certain parts of the year. Sea ice acts as a physical barrier, impeding water movement and preventing the formation of a consistent, circular current.

Furthermore, the Arctic region experiences other dynamic processes such as ice accumulation, melting, and seasonal variations in temperature and salinity. These factors further complicate the formation of a circumpolar current in the Arctic Ocean.

The article you referenced provides a scholarly perspective on the topic, specifically discussing the dynamics of the Beaufort Gyre, a large-scale oceanic circulation system in the Arctic. It explains how the Arctic Ocean's unique characteristics and dynamic processes make it challenging to develop a single, continuous circumpolar current like the ACC in the Southern Ocean.

In conclusion, the impossibility of having an Arctic Circumpolar Current can be attributed to the Arctic Basin's semi-enclosed nature, the presence of landmasses, the presence of sea ice, and other dynamic processes specific to the Arctic Ocean.