Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
Antarctic Climate &Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart 7001, Australia.
Nat Commun. 2016 Aug 23;7:12577. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12577.
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.
一个新的南极底层水形成区被归因于毗邻普里兹湾的达恩利角冰间湖密集陆架水的形成。本研究通过 2011-2013 年 CTD 仪测象海豹的新观测，首次完整评估了普里兹湾密集陆架水的形成。在涉及三个冰间湖（正贡献）和两个冰架（负贡献）的复杂演化之后，密度较大的陆架水（盐度 34.65-34.7）通过普里兹海峡输出。这为达恩利角底层水提供了一个独特的、相对新鲜的贡献。在其他地方，密集水的形成受到来自阿梅里冰架和威德尔冰架的淡水输入到普里兹湾环流的阻碍。本研究强调了南极底层水对冰架融化增加淡水输入的敏感性，以及在气候变暖的情况下南极底层水形成的潜在崩溃。
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