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Brief communication: impacts of a developing polynya off Commonwealth Bay, East Antarctica, triggered by grounding of iceberg B09B

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posted on 2023-05-19, 01:00 authored by Fogwill, CJ, van Sebille, E, Eva CougnonEva Cougnon, Turney, CSM, Stephen Rintoul, Benjamin Galton-FenziBenjamin Galton-Fenzi, Clark, GF, Marzinelli, EM, Rainsley, EB, Carter, L
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.

History

Publication title

Cryosphere

Volume

10

Pagination

2603-2609

ISSN

1994-0416

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Copernicus GmbH

Place of publication

Germany

Rights statement

© Author(s) 2016 Licenced under Creative Commons Attribution United States (CC BY 3.0 US) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts)

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