How iceberg calving and grounding change the circulation and hydrography in the Filchner Ice Shelf‐Ocean System

Grosfeld, Klaus; Schröder, Michael; Fahrbach, Eberhard; Gerdes, Rüdiger; Mackensen, Andréas

doi:10.1029/2000jc000601

Cited by 71 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The measurements thus indicate that toward the end of 1987, there is an outflow of relatively pure HSSW in a layer close to the bottom, while ISW is found in a layer above it. This confirms the findings of Grosfeld et al (2001) and N98 that the icebergs stranded on the Berkner Bank caused the HSSW formed there to change its path and flow north-northeastward toward the Filchner sill and the deep ocean, rather than eastward into the Filchner Depression.…”

Section: ) Temperature and Salinitysupporting

confidence: 78%

“…In 1986, three giant icebergs (A22-A24) broke off from the front of the Filchner Ice Shelf and stranded on the Berkner Bank, modifying the HSSW production and paths; observations show that no HSSW entered the FD during the following years (N98), and modeling suggests that the HSSW instead flowed northward toward the Filchner sill and the continental slope (Grosfeld et al 2001). In 1990, iceberg A24 came ungrounded and drifted northward.…”

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confidence: 99%

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On the Seasonal Signal of the Filchner Overflow, Weddell Sea, Antarctica

Darelius

Strand

Østerhus

et al. 2014

Journal of Physical Oceanography

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The cold ice shelf water (ISW) that formed below the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in the southwestern Weddell Sea, Antarctica, escapes the ice shelf cavity through the Filchner Depression and spills over its sill at a rate of 1.6 Sverdrups (Sv; 1 Sv [ 10 6 m 3 s 21 ), thus contributing significantly to the production of Weddell Sea Bottom Water. Here, the authors examine all available observational data from the region-including five year-long time series of mooring data from the Filchner sill-to examine the seasonal variability of the outflow. The temperature of the ISW outflow is found to vary seasonally by 0.078C with a maximum in April.The accompanying signal in salinity causes a seasonal signal in density of 0.03-0.04 kg m 23 , potentially changing the penetration depth of the ISW plume by more than 500 m. Contrary to recent modeling, the observations show no seasonal variability in outflow velocity. The seasonality observed at the sill is, at least partly, due to the admixture of high-salinity shelf water from the Berkner Bank. Observations and numerical modeling suggest, however, seasonal signals in the circulation upstream (i.e., in the ice shelf cavity and in the Filchner Depression) that-although processes and linkages are unclear-are likely to contribute to the seasonal signal observed at the sill. In the plume region downstream of the sill, the source variability is apparent only within the very densest portions of the ISW plume. In the more diluted part of the plume, the source variability is overcome by the seasonality in the properties of the water entrained at the shelf break. This will have implications for the properties of the generated bottom waters.

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Section: ) Temperature and Salinitysupporting

confidence: 78%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Seasonal Signal of the Filchner Overflow, Weddell Sea, Antarctica

Darelius

Strand

Østerhus

et al. 2014

Journal of Physical Oceanography

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“…deep Weddell Sea is dominated by a cyclonic gyre circulation, but a broader continental shelf with banks and troughs, like in the southern Weddell Sea, tends to support its own circulation pattern (e.g., Grosfeld et al, 2001). Though patchy, bottom topography in the western Weddell Sea indicates the existence of banks (Luckman et al, 2009), basins, and troughs which would allow currents without a predominant south/north orientation.…”

Section: Winter Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the freshening of the northwestern Weddell Sea continental shelf

et al. 2011

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Abstract. We analyzed hydrographic data from the northwestern Weddell Sea continental shelf of the three austral winters 1989, 1997, and 2006 and two summers following the last winter cruise. During summer a thermal front exists at ∼64 • S separating cold southern waters from warm northern waters that have similar characteristics as the deep waters of the central basin of the Bransfield Strait. In winter, the whole continental shelf exhibits southern characteristics with high Neon (Ne) concentrations, indicating a significant input of glacial melt water. The comparison of the winter data from the shallow shelf off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, spanning a period of 17 yr, shows a salinity decrease of 0.09 for the whole water column, which has a residence time of <1 yr. We interpret this freshening as being caused by a combination of reduced salt input due to a southward sea ice retreat and higher precipitation during the late 20th century on the western Weddell Sea continental shelf. However, less salinification might also result from a delicate interplay between enhanced salt input due to sea ice formation in coastal areas formerly occupied by Larsen A and B ice shelves and increased Larsen C ice loss.

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“…A similar case can be made for the iceberg's effect on the ocean currents on the continental shelf. Despite the fact that Grosfeld et al (2001) showed that iceberg calving and grounding does change the circulation and hydrography in the Filchner Ice Shelf-ocean system, it is not common for today's ocean models to take this into account.…”

Section: Tabular Iceberg In Weddell Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

A global, high-resolution data set of ice sheet topography, cavity geometry, and ocean bathymetry

Schaffer

Timmermann

Arndt

et al. 2016

Earth Syst. Sci. Data

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200

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Abstract. The ocean plays an important role in modulating the mass balance of the polar ice sheets by interacting with the ice shelves in Antarctica and with the marine-terminating outlet glaciers in Greenland. Given that the flux of warm water onto the continental shelf and into the sub-ice cavities is steered by complex bathymetry, a detailed topography data set is an essential ingredient for models that address ice-ocean interaction. We followed the spirit of the global RTopo-1 data set and compiled consistent maps of global ocean bathymetry, upper and lower ice surface topographies, and global surface height on a spherical grid with now 30 arcsec grid spacing.

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How iceberg calving and grounding change the circulation and hydrography in the Filchner Ice Shelf‐Ocean System

Cited by 71 publications

References 37 publications

On the Seasonal Signal of the Filchner Overflow, Weddell Sea, Antarctica

On the Seasonal Signal of the Filchner Overflow, Weddell Sea, Antarctica

On the freshening of the northwestern Weddell Sea continental shelf

A global, high-resolution data set of ice sheet topography, cavity geometry, and ocean bathymetry

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