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Persistent warm-eddy transport to Antarctic ice shelves driven by enhanced summer westerlies

Author

Listed:
  • Libao Gao

    (Ministry of Natural Resources
    Laoshan Laboratory
    Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling)

  • Xiaojun Yuan

    (Columbia University)

  • Wenju Cai

    (Laoshan Laboratory
    CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere
    Ocean University of China)

  • Guijun Guo

    (Ministry of Natural Resources
    Laoshan Laboratory
    Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling)

  • Weidong Yu

    (Laoshan Laboratory
    Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Jiuxin Shi

    (Laoshan Laboratory
    Ocean University of China)

  • Fangli Qiao

    (Ministry of Natural Resources
    Laoshan Laboratory
    Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling)

  • Zexun Wei

    (Ministry of Natural Resources
    Laoshan Laboratory
    Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling)

  • Guy D. Williams

    (Ministry of Natural Resources)

Abstract

The offshore ocean heat supplied to the Antarctic continental shelves by warm eddies has the potential to greatly impact the melting rates of ice shelves and subsequent global sea level rise. While featured in modeling and some observational studies, the processes around how these warm eddies form and overcome the dynamic sub-surface barrier of the Antarctic Slope Front over the upper continental slope has not yet been clarified. Here we report on the detailed observations of persistent eddies carrying warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) onto the continental shelf of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, using subsurface mooring and hydrographic section data from 2013-2015. We show the warm-eddy transport is most active when the summer westerlies strengthen, which promotes the upwelling of CDW and initiates eddy formation and intrusions. Our study highlights the important role of warm eddies in the melting of Antarctica’s ice shelves, both now and into the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Libao Gao & Xiaojun Yuan & Wenju Cai & Guijun Guo & Weidong Yu & Jiuxin Shi & Fangli Qiao & Zexun Wei & Guy D. Williams, 2024. "Persistent warm-eddy transport to Antarctic ice shelves driven by enhanced summer westerlies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-45010-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45010-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Libao Gao & Stephen R. Rintoul & Weidong Yu, 2018. "Recent wind-driven change in Subantarctic Mode Water and its impact on ocean heat storage," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 58-63, January.
    2. H. D. Pritchard & S. R. M. Ligtenberg & H. A. Fricker & D. G. Vaughan & M. R. van den Broeke & L. Padman, 2012. "Antarctic ice-sheet loss driven by basal melting of ice shelves," Nature, Nature, vol. 484(7395), pages 502-505, April.
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