Prior to FOCI research many schematics existed of circulation in the
Bering Sea, and wind stress was considered to provide the primary
forcing [ Hughes et al., 1974]. Results from FOCI have refined
our knowledge of circulation (Figure 2), and meteorological forcing
over the basin from both observations [ Stabeno and Reed, 1994]
and model studies [ Overland et al., 1994]. A cyclonic gyre
dominates circulation over the basin with a western boundary current
(Kamchatka Current) along the Asian side of the basin [ Reed et
al., 1993]. This gyre is mainly an extension of the Alaskan Stream,
and the majority of volume transport enters through Near Strait
(
10 
10
m
s
) and exits via the
Kamchatka Current [ Stabeno and Reed, 1994]. When instabilities
in the Alaskan Stream inhibit flow into the Bering Sea through Near
Strait [ Stabeno and Reed, 1992], transport in the Kamchatka
Current can be reduced by 
50%. Such conditions existed from
1990 to 1991; the return to normal flow conditions occurred in late
1991 [ Reed and Stabeno, 1993]. A climatology of the wind forcing
shows that eastward and northward-propagating storm systems dominate
the surface stress at short periods (<1 month), which serves
principally to mix the upper ocean [ Bond et al., 1994]. At
longer periods (> 1 month), the estimated wind-driven transport
accounts for roughly one-half of the observed transport within the
Kamchatka Current. The interannual variations in the transports are
25% of the mean.
The flux (
3.0 
10
m
s
) of Alaskan
Stream waters through the eastern passes (Amchitka and Amukta passes)
has a profound impact on regional water properties and circulation
[ Schumacher and Stabeno, 1994; Reed et al., 1994;
Reed and Stabeno, 1994]. These waters then flow northwestward along
the slope [ Schumacher and Reed, 1992] carrying a subsurface
temperature maximum that can be traced hundreds of kilometers. The
southeastern basin waters are also rich in eddies, some of which are
formed by flow through Amukta Pass [ Schumacher and Stabeno,
1994].