Brief communication: Impacts of a developing polynya off Commonwealth Bay, East Antarctica, triggered by grounding of iceberg B09B
The dramatic calving of the Mertz Glacier tongue in 2010, precipitated by the movement of iceberg B09B, reshaped the oceanographic regime across the Mertz Polynya and Commonwealth Bay, regions where high-salinity shelf water (HSSW) – the precursor to Antarctic bottom water (AABW) &ndas...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016-11-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/2603/2016/tc-10-2603-2016.pdf |
| Summary: | The dramatic calving of the Mertz Glacier tongue in 2010,
precipitated by the movement of iceberg B09B, reshaped the oceanographic
regime across the Mertz Polynya and Commonwealth Bay, regions where high-salinity
shelf water (HSSW) – the precursor to Antarctic bottom water
(AABW) – is formed. Here we present post-calving observations that suggest
that this reconfiguration and subsequent grounding of B09B have driven the
development of a new polynya and associated HSSW production off Commonwealth Bay.
Supported by satellite observations and modelling, our findings
demonstrate how local icescape changes may impact the formation of HSSW,
with potential implications for large-scale ocean circulation. |
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| ISSN: | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |