Fiona McLaughlin

Research Scientist

Current research and/or projects

Fiona McLaughlin is a Research Scientist whose research interests include the study of ocean circulation and transport of organochlorine contaminants such as pesticides to high-latitude oceans. She measures concentrations of industrially produced chemicals such as CFCs in the water column to estimate the residence time or age of various water mass layers found within the Arctic Ocean. These ages are used to calculate boundary current speeds in the Arctic Ocean and to predict the residence time of pesticides in the Arctic environment.

In 2002 Fiona, along with colleagues at IOS, FWI and BIO, is starting a three-year joint Western Arctic Climate Study with colleagues from Japan. Fiona McLaughlin joined government service in 1972 and for the past 14 years has worked principally on Arctic Ocean studies. In 1994, she served as a member of the Trans Arctic Ocean expedition; in 1996 as chief scientist of a southern Beaufort Sea expedition; and, in 1997, as chief scientist of a multidisciplinary expedition in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago as part of the SHEBA/JOIS project.

Key publications

Grebmeier, J.M., J. Overland, S.E. Moore, E.V. Farley, Jr., E. Carmack, L.W. Cooper, K. Frey, J.H. Helle, F.A. McLaughlin and S.L. McNutt. 2006. A major ecosystem shift in the Northern Bering Sea. Science. 311:1461-1464. doi: 10.1126/science.1121365.
Paull, C.K., W. Ussler III, S.R. Dallimore, S.M. Blasco, T.D. Lorenson, H. Melling, B.E. Medioli, F.M. Nixon and F. McLaughlin. 2006. Origins of pingo-like features on the Beaufort Sea shelf and their possible relationship to decomposing gas hydrates. Geophysical Research Letters. 34(L1603). doi: 10.1029/2006GL027977.
Shimada, K., T. Kamoshida, M. Itoh, S.ishino, E. Carmack, F. McLaughlin, S. Zimmermann and A. Proshutinsky. 2006. Pacific ocean inflow: influence on catastrophic reduction of sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters. 33(L08605). doi: 10.1029/2005GL025624.
Yamamot-Kawai, M., E. Carmack and F. McLaughlin. 2006. Brief communications: Nitrogen balance and Arctic throughflow. Nature. 443. doi: 10.1038/443043a.
McLaughlin, F., K. Shimada, E. Carmack, M. Itoh and S. Nishino. 2005. The hydrography of the southern Canada Basin, 2002. Polar Biology. 28(3):182-189. doi: 10.1007/s00300-004-0701-6.
Harwood, L.A., F. McLaughlin, R.M. Allen, J. Illasiak, and J. Alikamik. 2005. First ever marine mammal and bird observations in the deep Canada Basin and Beaufort/Chukchi seas: expeditions during 2002. Polar Biology. 28:250-253.
Shimada, K., M. Itoh, S. Nishino, F. McLaughlin, E. Carmack and A. Proshutinsky. 2005. Halocline structure in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters. 32:1-5.
McLaughlin, F., E. Carmack, R.W. Macdonald, H. Melling, J.H. Swift, P.A. Wheeler, B.F. Sherr and E.B. Sherr. 2004. The juxtaposition of Atlantic and Pacific-origin waters in the Canada Basin, 19971998: a basin in transition. Deep-Sea Research I. 51:107-128.
Shimada, K., F. McLaughlin, E. Carmack, A. Proshutinsky, S. Nishino and M.Itoh. 2004. Penetration of the 1990's warm temperature anomaly of Atlantic water in the Canada Basin. Geophysical Research Letters. 31(20):1-4.
Jones, E.P., J.H. Swift, L.G. Anderson, M. Lipizer, G. Civitarese, K.K. Falkner, G. Kattner and F. McLaughlin. 2003. Tracing Pacific water in the North Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research. 108(C4): 3116:doi:10.1029/2001JC001141.
MacDonald, R.W., F.A. McLaughlin and E.C. Carmack. 2002. Freshwater and its sources during the SHEBA drift. Deep Sea Research I. 49:1769-1785.
McLaughlin, F.A., E.C. Carmack, R.W. MacDonald and A. Weaver. 2002. The Canada Basin 1989-1995: Upstream events and far-field effects of the Barents Sea Branch. J. Geophysical Research. 107(C7):10.1029/2001JC000904.
Proshutinsky, A., R.H. Bourke and F.A. McLaughlin. 2002. The role of the Beaufort Gyre in Arctic climate variability: Seasonal to decadal climate scales. Geophys. Res. Letts. 29(3):2100.
Carmack, E. and F. McLaughlin. 2001. Arctic Ocean change and consequences to biodiversity: A perspective on linkage and scale. Mem. Natl. Polar. Res., Spec Issue. 54:365-375.
Macdonald, R., E. Carmack, F.A. McLaughlin, K.K. Falkner and J.H. Swift. 1999. Connections among ice, runoff and atmospheric forcing in the Beaufort Gyre. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26:2223-2226.
Carmack, E., K. Aagaard, J. Swift, R. Perkin, F. McLaughlin, R. Macdonald and P. Jones. 1998. Thermohaline transitions. pp. 179-186. In: J. Imberger (ed.). Physical Processes in Lakes and Oceans, Coastal Estuarine Studies. 54.
Carmack, E., K. Aagaard, J. Swift, R. Perkin, F. McLaughlin, R. Macdonald, P. Jones, J. Smith, K. Ellis and L. Kilius. 1997. Changes in temperature and tracer distributions within the Arctic Ocean: Results from the 1994 Arctic Ocean Section. Deep-Sea Res. II. 44:1487-1502.
Swift, J., E. Jones, K. Aagaard, E. Carmack, M. Hingston, R. Macdonald, F. McLaughlin and R. Perkin. 1997. Waters of the Makarov and Canada Basins. Deep-Sea Res. II. 44:1503-1530.
McLaughlin, F., E. Carmack, R. Macdonald and J. Bishop. 1996. Physical and geochemical properties across the Atlantic/Pacific water mass boundary in the southern Canadian Basin. J. Geophys. Res. 101:1193-1198.
Carmack, E., R. Macdonald, R. Perkin, F. McLaughlin and R. Pearson. 1995. Evidence for Warming of Atlantic Water in the Southern Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean: Evidence from the Larsen-93 Expedition. Geophys. Res. Lett. 22:1061-1065.
Jones, E., K. Aagaard, E. Carmack, R. Macdonald, F. McLaughlin, R. Perkin and J. Swift. 1995. Recent changes in Arctic Ocean thermohaline structure. Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research. 51:307-315.