  This is a statistical analysis of the oceanographic time series measured
across Fram Strait at a latitude of 78{\deg}50'N. Fram Strait is the deepest
passage between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic. There are up to 16
mooring lines with instruments at different depths measuring water temperature
and velocity. These variables vary on different time scales and the challenge
is to distinguish different spatial flow regimes.
  For Fram Strait, a temperature criterion is traditionally applied to identify
water-masses, i.e. water volumes of similar origin. Interpolation leads to a
vertical latitudinal 2D cross-section from which a scalar - the hypothetical
area of waters within a certain temperature interval - can be extracted. The
scalar is combined with a similar interpolation of the velocities to
approximate the volume flows through the gateway. This approach is not only
numerically expensive but also incorporates many assumptions. The present study
suggest a new network-based approach to discriminate between flow regimes
without the need to introduce artificial data through interpolation. The new
approach not only reproduces the known flow patterns, but also reveals
topographical features which are not captured by a standard water-masses
analysis.
