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

TY - JOUR

T1 - The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay

AU - Willimas, G.D.

AU - Herraiz Borreguero, Laura

AU - Roquet, F.

AU - Tamura, Tomohiro

AU - Ohshima, K.I.

AU - Fukamachi, Y.

AU - Fraser, A.D.

AU - Gao, L

AU - Chen, Hui

AU - McMahon, C.R.

AU - Harcourt, R.

AU - Hindell, Mark

PY - 2016/8/23

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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms12577

DO - 10.1038/ncomms12577

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27552365

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 12577

ER -