Figure 2: Circulation and water masses.
From: The suppression of Antarctic bottom water formation by melting ice shelves in Prydz Bay
(a) Geopotential anomaly (m2 s−2) at 50 m relative to 300 m, from elephant seal CTD profiles from April through May 2011 and 2012. Data shown as colour shaded circles and objectively mapped contours (within an error of 0.025 m2 s−2). Colour bar as shown. Coastal polynyas are labelled and shown using the satellite-derived sea ice production estimates (dark green contours show 5 ma−1) from ERA-Interim data (1992–2014)14,15: Cape Darnley (CD), MacKenzie Bay (MB), Davis (D) and Barrier Bay (B). Mean fast ice contours37 are shown as thick light blue contours. (b) Modified circumpolar deep water (mCDW). Maximum potential temperature (θ in °C) associated with intrusions of mCDW (circles, 28.0<γn<28.27 kg m−3, −1.7<θmax<0 °C) into Prydz Bay from April through May. Profiles without an mCDW signal are shown as grey points. (c) Distribution of ice shelf water (ISW). Minimum potential temperature (θmin °C, shaded in colour) associated with strong ISW signal (θmin<−1.95). Profiles without an ISW signal are shown as grey points. Insets in b,c show the vertical salinity profiles of mCDW and ISW, respectively.
