Modelling Circumpolar Deep Water intrusions on the Amundsen Sea continental shelf, Antarctica

Results are presented from an isopycnic coordinate model of ocean circulation in the Amundsen Sea, focusing on the delivery of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) to the inner continental shelf around Pine Island Bay. The warmest waters to reach this region are channeled through a submarine trough, accesse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Thoma, Malte, Jenkins, Adrian, Holland, David, Jacobs, Stan
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union 2008
Subjects:
F700 Ocean Sciences
Amundsen Sea
Island Bay
Pine Island Bay
Pine Island Glacier
Antarc*
Antarctica
Pine Island
Online Access:https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/42262/
https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL034939
https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/42262/1/Modelling%20Circumpolar%20Deep%20Water%20intrusions%20on%20the%20Amundsen%20Sea%20continental%20shelf,%20Antarctica.pdf
Description
Summary:Results are presented from an isopycnic coordinate model of ocean circulation in the Amundsen Sea, focusing on the delivery of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) to the inner continental shelf around Pine Island Bay. The warmest waters to reach this region are channeled through a submarine trough, accessed via bathymetric irregularities along the shelf break. Temporal variability in the influx of CDW is related to regional wind forcing. Easterly winds over the shelf edge change to westerlies when the Amundsen Sea Low migrates westand south in winter/ spring. This drives seasonal on-shelf flow, while inter-annual changes in the wind forcing lead to inflow variability on a decadal timescale. A modelled period of warming following low CDW influx in the late 1980's and early 1990's coincides with a period of observed thinning and acceleration of Pine Island Glacier.

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