Fig. 3: Schematic figure representing the location of the double-gyre and related meltwater distribution in PIB.

The upper and lower panels indicate oceanic conditions before (previous cases) and after the ice shelf front retreat, respectively (not to scale). The dashed black line in the lower panel indicates the ice shelf front position in the previous cases before the retreat. Dotted blue lines represent the water column with a high meltwater content. The thick solid red line shows the approximate variation in the isopycnals (also thermocline) associated with the meltwater distributions influenced by the counter-rotating double gyres. The circles with crosses and dots denote the ocean flows into and out of the plane of the diagram, respectively; their sizes indicate the relative flow speed and volume transport.