Air-Sea-Ice Interactions at the Dalton Polynya, East Antarctica

Abstract:

Intensified winter sea-ice formation at some Antarctic coastal polynyas is key to local production of dense Shelf Water. Near the shelf break immediately offshore of these polynyas, outflow of newly formed types of Antarctic Bottom Water results from rapid mixing of local Shelf Water and Circumpolar Deep Water entrained down the continental slope. Located off the Sabrina (120°E) and Adélie (145°E) Coasts, similar characteristics are found at the Dalton and Mertz Polynyas: relatively high rates of sea-ice production, large areal extent and lengthened duration. Until the recent partial breakage of the Mertz Ice Tongue, both Polynyas were limited to the east by grounded northward-protruding ice tongues that provide favorable conditions to form sea-ice. Nevertheless, Shelf Water production and export of Antarctic Bottom Water with origin in the Mertz Depression has been consistently observed during the past two decades, although with progressively fresher characteristics.

The first oceanographic expeditions to the shelf depression located off the Sabrina Coast were made in the past two austral summers, by the U.S. in 2014 and Australia in 2015. These new measurements reveal contrasting characteristics to those found at Mertz. They indicate a more prominent role played by local freshwater inputs, which overshadow the effect from winter salt rejection within the Dalton Polynya. Results from a combined study of in-situ, remote sensing, and historical reanalysis datasets for 2014-2015 are used to describe the regional interaction of winds, ocean currents and sea-ice off Sabrina Coast. The inferred interactions at the Dalton and Mertz Polynyas are contrasted for the 2005-2015 period, to distinguish regional influences on the climatic freshening of Antarctic waters.