Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014
We map the weekly position of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) in the Southern Ocean over a 12-year period (2002–2014) using satellite sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from cloud-penetrating microwave radiometers. Our study advances previous efforts to map the PF using hydrographic and satellit...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:essd49127 2023-05-15T13:54:27+02:00 Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 Freeman, Natalie M. Lovenduski, Nicole S. 2018-09-27 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/8/191/2016/ eng eng doi:10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/8/191/2016/ eISSN: 1866-3516 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 2020-07-20T16:24:09Z We map the weekly position of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) in the Southern Ocean over a 12-year period (2002–2014) using satellite sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from cloud-penetrating microwave radiometers. Our study advances previous efforts to map the PF using hydrographic and satellite data and provides a unique realization of the PF at weekly resolution across all longitudes ( doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.855640 ). The mean path of the PF is asymmetric; its latitudinal position spans from 44 to 64° S along its circumpolar path. SST at the PF ranges from 0.6 to 6.9 °C, reflecting the large spread in latitudinal position. The average intensity of the front is 1.7 °C per 100 km, with intensity ranging from 1.4 to 2.3 °C per 100 km. Front intensity is significantly correlated with the depth of bottom topography, suggesting that the front intensifies over shallow bathymetry. Realizations of the PF are consistent with the corresponding surface expressions of the PF estimated using expendable bathythermograph data in the Drake Passage and Australian and African sectors. The climatological mean position of the PF is similar, though not identical, to previously published estimates. As the PF is a key indicator of physical circulation, surface nutrient concentration, and biogeography in the Southern Ocean, future studies of physical and biogeochemical oceanography in this region will benefit from the provided data set. Text Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean The Antarctic Earth System Science Data 8 1 191 198 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
We map the weekly position of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) in the Southern Ocean over a 12-year period (2002–2014) using satellite sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from cloud-penetrating microwave radiometers. Our study advances previous efforts to map the PF using hydrographic and satellite data and provides a unique realization of the PF at weekly resolution across all longitudes ( doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.855640 ). The mean path of the PF is asymmetric; its latitudinal position spans from 44 to 64° S along its circumpolar path. SST at the PF ranges from 0.6 to 6.9 °C, reflecting the large spread in latitudinal position. The average intensity of the front is 1.7 °C per 100 km, with intensity ranging from 1.4 to 2.3 °C per 100 km. Front intensity is significantly correlated with the depth of bottom topography, suggesting that the front intensifies over shallow bathymetry. Realizations of the PF are consistent with the corresponding surface expressions of the PF estimated using expendable bathythermograph data in the Drake Passage and Australian and African sectors. The climatological mean position of the PF is similar, though not identical, to previously published estimates. As the PF is a key indicator of physical circulation, surface nutrient concentration, and biogeography in the Southern Ocean, future studies of physical and biogeochemical oceanography in this region will benefit from the provided data set. |
format |
Text |
author |
Freeman, Natalie M. Lovenduski, Nicole S. |
spellingShingle |
Freeman, Natalie M. Lovenduski, Nicole S. Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
author_facet |
Freeman, Natalie M. Lovenduski, Nicole S. |
author_sort |
Freeman, Natalie M. |
title |
Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
title_short |
Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
title_full |
Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
title_fullStr |
Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mapping the Antarctic Polar Front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
title_sort |
mapping the antarctic polar front: weekly realizations from 2002 to 2014 |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/8/191/2016/ |
geographic |
Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
op_source |
eISSN: 1866-3516 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/8/191/2016/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-191-2016 |
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Earth System Science Data |
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8 |
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1 |
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191 |
op_container_end_page |
198 |
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1766260339432751104 |