The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay

G. D. Williams; L. Herraiz-Borreguero; F. Roquet; T. Tamura; K. I. Ohshima; Y. Fukamachi; A. D. Fraser; L. Gao; H. Chen; C. R. McMahon; R. Harcourt; M. Hindell

doi:10.1038/ncomms12577

The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay

G. D. Williams^*, L. Herraiz-Borreguero, F. Roquet, T. Tamura, K. I. Ohshima, Y. Fukamachi, A. D. Fraser, L. Gao, H. Chen, C. R. McMahon, R. Harcourt, M. Hindell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

A fourth production region for the globally important Antarctic bottom water has been attributed to dense shelf water formation in the Cape Darnley Polynya, adjoining Prydz Bay in East Antarctica. Here we show new observations from CTD-instrumented elephant seals in 2011-2013 that provide the first complete assessment of dense shelf water formation in Prydz Bay. After a complex evolution involving opposing contributions from three polynyas (positive) and two ice shelves (negative), dense shelf water (salinity 34.65-34.7) is exported through Prydz Channel. This provides a distinct, relatively fresh contribution to Cape Darnley bottom water. Elsewhere, dense water formation is hindered by the freshwater input from the Amery and West Ice Shelves into the Prydz Bay Gyre. This study highlights the susceptibility of Antarctic bottom water to increased freshwater input from the enhanced melting of ice shelves, and ultimately the potential collapse of Antarctic bottom water formation in a warming climate.

Original language	English
Article number	12577
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12577
Publication status	Published - 23 Aug 2016

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Copyright the Author(s) 2016. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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title = "The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay",

abstract = "A fourth production region for the globally important Antarctic bottom water has been attributed to dense shelf water formation in the Cape Darnley Polynya, adjoining Prydz Bay in East Antarctica. Here we show new observations from CTD-instrumented elephant seals in 2011-2013 that provide the first complete assessment of dense shelf water formation in Prydz Bay. After a complex evolution involving opposing contributions from three polynyas (positive) and two ice shelves (negative), dense shelf water (salinity 34.65-34.7) is exported through Prydz Channel. This provides a distinct, relatively fresh contribution to Cape Darnley bottom water. Elsewhere, dense water formation is hindered by the freshwater input from the Amery and West Ice Shelves into the Prydz Bay Gyre. This study highlights the susceptibility of Antarctic bottom water to increased freshwater input from the enhanced melting of ice shelves, and ultimately the potential collapse of Antarctic bottom water formation in a warming climate.",

author = "Williams, {G. D.} and L. Herraiz-Borreguero and F. Roquet and T. Tamura and Ohshima, {K. I.} and Y. Fukamachi and Fraser, {A. D.} and L. Gao and H. Chen and McMahon, {C. R.} and R. Harcourt and M. Hindell",

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AU - Williams, G. D.

AU - Herraiz-Borreguero, L.

AU - Roquet, F.

AU - Tamura, T.

AU - Ohshima, K. I.

AU - Fukamachi, Y.

AU - Fraser, A. D.

AU - Gao, L.

AU - Chen, H.

AU - McMahon, C. R.

AU - Harcourt, R.

AU - Hindell, M.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2016. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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Y1 - 2016/8/23

N2 - A fourth production region for the globally important Antarctic bottom water has been attributed to dense shelf water formation in the Cape Darnley Polynya, adjoining Prydz Bay in East Antarctica. Here we show new observations from CTD-instrumented elephant seals in 2011-2013 that provide the first complete assessment of dense shelf water formation in Prydz Bay. After a complex evolution involving opposing contributions from three polynyas (positive) and two ice shelves (negative), dense shelf water (salinity 34.65-34.7) is exported through Prydz Channel. This provides a distinct, relatively fresh contribution to Cape Darnley bottom water. Elsewhere, dense water formation is hindered by the freshwater input from the Amery and West Ice Shelves into the Prydz Bay Gyre. This study highlights the susceptibility of Antarctic bottom water to increased freshwater input from the enhanced melting of ice shelves, and ultimately the potential collapse of Antarctic bottom water formation in a warming climate.

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The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay

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