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Ice‐ocean processes over the continental shelf of the southern Weddell Sea, Antarctica: A review
Author(s) -
Nicholls Keith W.,
Østerhus Svein,
Makinson Keith,
Gammelsrød Tor,
Fahrbach Eberhard
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/2007rg000250
Subject(s) - ice shelf , oceanography , continental shelf , geology , weddell sea bottom water , sea ice , antarctic bottom water , iceberg , front (military) , antarctic sea ice , circumpolar deep water , ice sheet , water mass , cryosphere , thermohaline circulation , north atlantic deep water
Interactions between the Southern Ocean and the Weddell Sea ice shelves are important both to the Antarctic Ice Sheet and to the production of globally significant water masses. Here we review the interaction between the Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf and the shelf sea in which it floats. The continental shelf processes leading to the production of Weddell Sea deep and bottom waters from the original off‐shelf source waters are discussed, and a new view is offered of the initial production of High‐Salinity Shelf Water. Data from ship‐based measurements at the ice front, from glaciological methods, and from measurements made within the sub–ice shelf cavity itself are used to describe the pattern of flows beneath the ice shelf. We also consider the variability observed within the cavity from tidal to interannual time scales and finish with a discussion of future research priorities in the region.