Variability of the Ross Gyre, Southern Ocean: Drivers and responses revealed by satellite altimetry

Year-round variability in the Ross Gyre (RG), Antarctica, during 2011–2015, is derived using radar altimetry. The RG is characterized by a bounded recirculating component and a westward throughflow to the south. Two modes of variability of the sea surface height and ocean surface stress curl are rev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Dotto, Tiago S., Naveira Garabato, Alberto, Bacon, Sheldon, Tsamados, Michel, Holland, Paul R., Hooley, Jack, Frajka-Williams, Eleanor, Ridout, Andy, Meredith, Michael P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Amundsen Sea
Antarctic
Curl
Southern Ocean
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Sheet
Sea ice
Online Access:https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/80761/
https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/80761/1/Published_Version.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL078607
Description
Summary:Year-round variability in the Ross Gyre (RG), Antarctica, during 2011–2015, is derived using radar altimetry. The RG is characterized by a bounded recirculating component and a westward throughflow to the south. Two modes of variability of the sea surface height and ocean surface stress curl are revealed. The first represents a large-scale sea surface height change forced by the Antarctic Oscillation. The second represents semiannual variability in gyre area and strength, driven by fluctuations in sea level pressure associated with the Amundsen Sea Low. Variability in the throughflow is also linked to the Amundsen Sea Low. An adequate description of the oceanic circulation is achieved only when sea ice drag is accounted for in the ocean surface stress. The drivers of RG variability elucidated here have significant implications for our understanding of the oceanic forcing of Antarctic Ice Sheet melting and for the downstream propagation of its ocean freshening footprint.

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