Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters
The complex export pathways that connect the surface waters of the Weddell Sea with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current influence water mass modification, nutrient fluxes, and ecosystem dynamics. To study this exchange, 40 surface drifters, equipped with temperature sensors, were released into the nor...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 |
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:mzqp2-78z06 2024-09-15T17:48:06+00:00 Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters Youngs, Madeleine K. Thompson, Andrew F. Flexas, M. Mar Heywood, Karen J. 2015-04 https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 unknown American Meteorological Society oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:mzqp2-78z06 eprintid:76195 https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 resolverid:CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-162933525 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Other Journal of Physical Oceanography, 45(4), 1068-1085, (2015-04) Geographic location/entity Continental shelf/slope Southern Ocean Circulation/ Dynamics Boundary currents Trajectories Observational techniques and algorithms Surface observations Variability Interannual variability info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2015 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 2024-08-06T15:35:01Z The complex export pathways that connect the surface waters of the Weddell Sea with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current influence water mass modification, nutrient fluxes, and ecosystem dynamics. To study this exchange, 40 surface drifters, equipped with temperature sensors, were released into the northwestern Weddell Sea's continental shelf and slope frontal system in late January 2012. Comparison of the drifter trajectories with a similar deployment in early February 2007 provides insight into the interannual variability of the surface circulation in this region. Observed differences in the 2007 and 2012 drifter trajectories are related to a variable surface circulation responding to changes in wind stress curl over the Weddell Gyre. Differences between northwestern Weddell Sea properties in 2007 and 2012 include 1) an enhanced cyclonic wind stress forcing over the Weddell Gyre in 2012; 2) an acceleration of the Antarctic Slope Current (ASC) and an offshore shift of the primary drifter export pathway in 2012; and 3) a strengthening of the Coastal Current (CC) over the continental shelf in 2007. The relationship between wind stress forcing and surface circulation is reproduced over a longer time period in virtual drifter deployments advected by a remotely sensed surface velocity product. The mean offshore position and speed of the drifter trajectories are correlated with the wind stress curl over the Weddell Gyre, although with different temporal lags. The drifter observations are consistent with recent modeling studies suggesting that Weddell Sea boundary current variability can significantly impact the rate and source of exported surface waters to the Scotia Sea, a process that determines regional chlorophyll distributions. © 2015 American Meteorological Society. Creative Commons CC-By license. (Manuscript received 28 May 2014, in final form 16 January 2015) We thank everyone who made the GENTOO cruise successful, especially the officers and crew of the RRS James Clark Ross. We are grateful for the financial ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Scotia Sea Southern Ocean Weddell Sea Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Journal of Physical Oceanography 45 4 1068 1085 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Geographic location/entity Continental shelf/slope Southern Ocean Circulation/ Dynamics Boundary currents Trajectories Observational techniques and algorithms Surface observations Variability Interannual variability |
spellingShingle |
Geographic location/entity Continental shelf/slope Southern Ocean Circulation/ Dynamics Boundary currents Trajectories Observational techniques and algorithms Surface observations Variability Interannual variability Youngs, Madeleine K. Thompson, Andrew F. Flexas, M. Mar Heywood, Karen J. Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
topic_facet |
Geographic location/entity Continental shelf/slope Southern Ocean Circulation/ Dynamics Boundary currents Trajectories Observational techniques and algorithms Surface observations Variability Interannual variability |
description |
The complex export pathways that connect the surface waters of the Weddell Sea with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current influence water mass modification, nutrient fluxes, and ecosystem dynamics. To study this exchange, 40 surface drifters, equipped with temperature sensors, were released into the northwestern Weddell Sea's continental shelf and slope frontal system in late January 2012. Comparison of the drifter trajectories with a similar deployment in early February 2007 provides insight into the interannual variability of the surface circulation in this region. Observed differences in the 2007 and 2012 drifter trajectories are related to a variable surface circulation responding to changes in wind stress curl over the Weddell Gyre. Differences between northwestern Weddell Sea properties in 2007 and 2012 include 1) an enhanced cyclonic wind stress forcing over the Weddell Gyre in 2012; 2) an acceleration of the Antarctic Slope Current (ASC) and an offshore shift of the primary drifter export pathway in 2012; and 3) a strengthening of the Coastal Current (CC) over the continental shelf in 2007. The relationship between wind stress forcing and surface circulation is reproduced over a longer time period in virtual drifter deployments advected by a remotely sensed surface velocity product. The mean offshore position and speed of the drifter trajectories are correlated with the wind stress curl over the Weddell Gyre, although with different temporal lags. The drifter observations are consistent with recent modeling studies suggesting that Weddell Sea boundary current variability can significantly impact the rate and source of exported surface waters to the Scotia Sea, a process that determines regional chlorophyll distributions. © 2015 American Meteorological Society. Creative Commons CC-By license. (Manuscript received 28 May 2014, in final form 16 January 2015) We thank everyone who made the GENTOO cruise successful, especially the officers and crew of the RRS James Clark Ross. We are grateful for the financial ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Youngs, Madeleine K. Thompson, Andrew F. Flexas, M. Mar Heywood, Karen J. |
author_facet |
Youngs, Madeleine K. Thompson, Andrew F. Flexas, M. Mar Heywood, Karen J. |
author_sort |
Youngs, Madeleine K. |
title |
Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
title_short |
Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
title_full |
Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
title_fullStr |
Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
title_full_unstemmed |
Weddell Sea Export Pathways from Surface Drifters |
title_sort |
weddell sea export pathways from surface drifters |
publisher |
American Meteorological Society |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Scotia Sea Southern Ocean Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Scotia Sea Southern Ocean Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 45(4), 1068-1085, (2015-04) |
op_relation |
oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:mzqp2-78z06 eprintid:76195 https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 resolverid:CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-162933525 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0103.1 |
container_title |
Journal of Physical Oceanography |
container_volume |
45 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1068 |
op_container_end_page |
1085 |
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1810289136844668928 |