Freshening of the Ross Sea During the Late 20th Century

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Jacobs, S. S., Giulivi, C. F., Mele, P. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2002
• Subjects: Antarctic; Ross Sea; West Antarctic Ice Sheet; Ross Island; Pacific; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet; Ice Shelves; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1069574; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1069574

Ocean measurements in the Ross Sea over the past four decades, one of the longest records near Antarctica, reveal marked decreases in shelf water salinity and the surface salinity within the Ross Gyre. These changes have been accompanied by atmospheric warming on Ross Island, ocean warming at depths of ∼300 meters north of the continental shelf, a more negative Southern Oscillation Index, and thinning of southeast Pacific ice shelves. The freshening appears to have resulted from a combination of factors, including increased precipitation, reduced sea ice production, and increased melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.