The Antarctic Coastal Current in the southeastern Weddell Sea

Fahrbach, Eberhard; Rohardt, Gerd; Krause, Günther

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-77595-6_19

Cited by 48 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Eastward currents are, in general, not expected close to the Antarctic continent since the Antarctic Coastal Current flows mainly westwards. However, Fahrbach et al [] reported a weak current in our study area which is influenced by sea floor topography and tides. Also, Hoppmann et al [] concluded that the platelet release might be related to episodic events connected to tides. The rather small part of the Ekström Ice Shelf, which lies east of Atka Bay, is likely not a source of supercooled water due to the limited depth.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

A glimpse beneath Antarctic sea ice: Platelet layer volume from multifrequency electromagnetic induction sounding

Hunkeler

Hoppmann

Hendricks

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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In Antarctica, ice crystals emerge from ice shelf cavities and accumulate in unconsolidated layers beneath nearby sea ice. Such sub‐ice platelet layers form a unique habitat and serve as an indicator for the state of an ice shelf. However, the lack of a suitable methodology impedes an efficient quantification of this phenomenon on scales beyond point measurements. In this study, we inverted multifrequency electromagnetic (EM) induction soundings, obtained on fast ice with an underlying platelet layer along profiles of 100 km length in the eastern Weddell Sea. EM‐derived platelet layer thickness and conductivity are consistent with other field observations. Our results suggest that platelet layer volume is higher than previously thought in this region and that platelet layer ice volume fraction is proportional to its thickness. We conclude that multifrequency EM is a suitable tool to determine platelet layer volume, with the potential to obtain crucial knowledge of associated processes in otherwise inaccessible ice shelf cavities.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

A glimpse beneath Antarctic sea ice: Platelet layer volume from multifrequency electromagnetic induction sounding

Hunkeler

Hoppmann

Hendricks

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…The correspondence between wind strength and coastal current [ Fahrbach et al , 1992; Núñez‐Riboni and Fahrbach , 2009] suggests a close coupling between atmosphere and ocean. Wang et al [2012]found a strong correlation between the wind stress curl over the southern Weddell Sea and both the coastal current transport and shelf water export from the Filchner Depression.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the southeastern Weddell Sea (Figure 1) Warm Deep Water (WDW) flows westward along the continental slope as the southern limb of the Weddell Gyre, while the shelf is dominated by colder and fresher water masses [ Fahrbach et al , 1992]. The resultant north–south density gradient, denoting the Antarctic Slope Front, is associated with a strong westward current [ Fahrbach et al , 1992; Heywood et al , 1998]. Closer to the Antarctic continent a westward flowing coastal current is supported by the prevailing easterly winds [ Heywood et al , 1998].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Closer to the Antarctic continent a westward flowing coastal current is supported by the prevailing easterly winds [ Heywood et al , 1998]. In the southeastern Weddell Sea where the continental shelf is narrow these currents are difficult to differentiate [ Heywood et al , 1998], and are often collectively referred to as the Antarctic Coastal Current (ACoC) [ Fahrbach et al , 1992; Núñez‐Riboni and Fahrbach , 2009]. The ACoC follows the shelf break until it passes the floating portion of Stancomb–Wills Ice Stream, whereupon one branch turns southward and follows the Luitpold Coast towards Filchner Ice Front (Figure 1) [ Foldvik et al , 1985; Nicholls et al , 2009].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seasonal inflow of warm water onto the southern Weddell Sea continental shelf, Antarctica

Årthun

Nicholls

Makinson

et al. 2012

Geophysical Research Letters

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To capture the austral summer to winter transition in water mass properties over the southern Weddell Sea continental shelf and slope region, 19 Weddell seals were tagged with miniaturized conductivity–temperature–depth sensors in February 2011. During the following 8 months the instruments yielded about 9000 temperature–salinity profiles from a previously undersampled area. This allows, for the first time, a description of the seasonality of warm water intrusions onto the shelf, as well as its southward extent towards the Filchner Ice Shelf. A temperature section across the Filchner Depression and eastern shelf shows a pronounced decrease in warm water inflow from summer to winter, further supported by an almost 3–year long time series from a shelf–break mooring. The seasonal variability is related to the surface wind stress and an associated deepening of the off‐shelf core of Warm Deep Water.

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“…Similarly, except for a weak signal near 500 m depth on the bank, the salinity maximum layer ends at the outer bank. The inshore front found here forms, on the shelf, what has farther to the west been called the Coastal Current [see Heywood et al ., ; Fahrbach et al ., ]. It merges with the Slope Current on the western side of the bank (Figure ).…”

Section: Water Massesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Antarctic Slope Current near 30°E

2016

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The Antarctic Slope Current flows westward above the continental slope of Antarctica, entering the Weddell Sea near 30°E and supplying dense water to the deep overturning cell there, and contributing to global Antarctic Bottom Water formation. Observations from the 2008 I6S hydrographic section are used to investigate the strength of the Slope Current near 30°E. A prominent topographic feature, the Gunnerus Bank, diverts the Slope Current upstream of this longitude, and has a large effect on the current's structure, splitting it into a coastal and offshore component. The bank also enhances water mass mixing and lateral exchange across the slope. As part of the 2008 occupation, an additional line was made along the crest of the bank, forming a closed volume over the western side. By combining hydrographic and Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler measurements in this box using an inverse method, the Slope Current transport is estimated to be 9.6 ± 2.3 Sv; the transport associated with the Antarctic Slope Front is 4.0 ± 0.3 Sv, of which 1.8 ± 0.3 Sv enters the Weddell Gyre as recently formed dense water.

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The Antarctic Coastal Current in the southeastern Weddell Sea

Cited by 48 publications

References 4 publications

A glimpse beneath Antarctic sea ice: Platelet layer volume from multifrequency electromagnetic induction sounding

A glimpse beneath Antarctic sea ice: Platelet layer volume from multifrequency electromagnetic induction sounding

Seasonal inflow of warm water onto the southern Weddell Sea continental shelf, Antarctica

The Antarctic Slope Current near 30°E

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