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The Totten Glacier in East Antarctica, with an ice volume equivalent to >3.5 m of global sea-level rise, is grounded below sea level and, therefore, vulnerable to ocean forcing. Here, we use bathymetric and oceanographic observations from previously unsampled parts of the Totten continental shelf to reveal on-shelf warm water pathways defined by deep topographic features. Access of warm water to the Totten Ice Shelf (TIS) cavity is facilitated by a deep shelf break, a broad and deep depression on the shelf, a cyclonic circulation that carries warm water to the inner shelf, and deep troughs that provide direct access to the TIS cavity. The temperature of the warmest water reaching the TIS cavity varies by ~0.8 °C on an interannual timescale. Numerical simulations constrained by the updated bathymetry demonstrate that the deep troughs play a critical role in regulating ocean heat transport to the TIS cavity and the subsequent basal melt of the ice shelf. The Totten Glacier in East Antarctica is grounded below sea level and vulnerable to ocean forcing. Observations and simulations demonstrate warm water access from offshore to the glacier, facilitated by deep topography off the Sabrina Coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) were used to investigate the timescale of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) that spreads off Cape Darnley (CD) in East Antarctica. The age of the AABW was estimated based on the observed SF6/CFC-12 ratio while taking into account tracer dilution by Lower Circumpolar Deep Water. Along the western canyons off CD and the ~ 3000 to 3500 m isobaths, the bottom water age was < 5 years, reflecting the spread of newly formed CD Bottom Water. Higher ages of ~ 8 years obtained for areas east of CD and > 20 years in the northwestern offshore region indicate inflows of AABW through the Princess Elizabeth Trough and Weddell Sea Deep Water, respectively. This study determined the age distribution in the region off CD, where three different types of AABW spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfast sea ice (fast ice) is an important though poorly understood component of the cryosphere on the Antarctic continental shelf, where it plays a key role in atmosphere–ocean–ice-sheet interaction and coupled ecological and biogeochemical processes. Here, we present a first in-depth baseline analysis of variability and change in circum-Antarctic fast-ice distribution (including its relationship to bathymetry), based on a new high-resolution satellite-derived time series for the period 2000 to 2018. This reveals (a) an overall trend of -882±824 km 2 yr -1 (-0.19±0.18 % yr -1) and (b) eight distinct regions in terms of fast-ice coverage and modes of formation. Of these, four exhibit positive trends over the 18-year period and four negative. Positive trends are seen in East Antarctica and in the Bellingshausen Sea, with this region claiming the largest positive trend of +1198±359 km 2 yr -1 (+1.10±0.35 % yr -1). The four negative trends predominantly occur in West Antarctica, with the largest negative trend of -1206±277 km 2 yr -1 (-1.78±0.41 % yr -1) occurring in the Victoria and Oates Land region in the western Ross Sea. All trends are significant. This new baseline analysis represents a significant advance in our knowledge of the current state of both the global cryosphere and the complex Antarctic coastal system, which are vulnerable to climate variability and change. It will also inform a wide range of other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfast sea ice (fast ice) is an important component of the Antarctic nearshore marine environment, where it strongly modulates ice sheet–ocean–atmosphere interactions and biological and biogeochemical processes, forms a key habitat, and affects logistical operations. Given the wide-ranging importance of Antarctic fast ice and its sensitivity to climate change, improved knowledge of its change and variability in its distribution is a high priority. Antarctic fast-ice mapping to date has been limited to regional studies and a time series covering East Antarctica from 2000 to 2008. Here, we present the first continuous, high-spatio-temporal resolution (1 km, 15 d) time series of circum-Antarctic fast-ice extent; this covers the period March 2000 to March 2018, with future updates planned. This dataset was derived by compositing cloud-free satellite visible and thermal infrared imagery using an existing methodology, modified to enhance automation and reduce subjectivity in defining the fast-ice edge. This new dataset has wide applicability and is available at 10.26179/5d267d1ceb60c. The new algorithm presented here will enable continuous large-scale fast-ice mapping and monitoring into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Coastal sea level variation around Antarctica is characterized by a coherent (circumpolarly in-phase) fluctuation, correlated with the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO). This study addresses the dynamics of the wind-driven sea level variation around Antarctica. A realistic barotropic numerical model reproduced well the observed sea level around Antarctica. From numerical model experiments, the authors demonstrate that the forcing responsible for the coastal sea level is the wind stress at the coastal boundary. Both the dominant coherent signal and westward propagating signals are identified in the model, and these signals are trapped over the shelf and slope around Antarctica. As a mechanism of these trapped signals, the authors consider analytical solutions of the oceanic response to alongshore wind stress over the shelf and slope in the circumpolar domain. In these solutions, besides the shelf wave mode, a wavenumber-zero mode appears and characterizes the coastal dynamics around Antarctica. At periods from 10 to 200 days, the coherent sea level can be explained quantitatively by the solution of this wavenumber-zero mode with a 5–10-day damping time scale. The spectral peaks of the westward propagating signals can be explained by the resonance of the shelf wave mode. The wavenumber-zero mode can respond to the wavenumber-zero forcing at any frequency and the degree of response increases with decreasing frequency. In addition, the wavenumber-zero component of wind stress, corresponding to the AAO variation, is a dominant forcing. Therefore, the coherent sea level variation around Antarctica is preferably generated and becomes a dominant feature in the circumpolar domain, particularly at lower frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass loss from the Antarctic ice sheet, Earth's largest freshwater reservoir, results directly in global sea-level rise and Southern Ocean freshening. Observational and modeling studies have demonstrated that ice shelf basal melting, resulting from the inflow of warm water onto the Antarctic continental shelf, plays a key role in the ice sheet's mass balance. In recent decades, warm ocean-cryosphere interaction in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas has received a great deal of attention. However, except for Totten Ice Shelf, East Antarctic ice shelves typically have cold ice cavities with low basal melt rates. Here we present direct observational evidence of high basal melt rates (7–16 m yr−1) beneath an East Antarctic ice shelf, Shirase Glacier Tongue, driven by southward-flowing warm water guided by a deep continuous trough extending to the continental slope. The strength of the alongshore wind controls the thickness of the inflowing warm water layer and the rate of basal melting. East Antarctic ice shelves typically have cold ice cavities with low basal melt rates. Here the authors direct observational evidence of high basal melt rates beneath Shirase Glacier Tongue in East Antarctica, driven by inflowing warm water guided by a deep continuous trough extending to the continental slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic coastal polynyas serve as crucially-important sea-ice "factories" and are (in certain cases) of global significance as sites of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation e.g., the Cape Darnley Polynya (CDP) in East Antarctica. As such, understanding change and variability in their behaviour, and the factors responsible, is a high priority in climate (change) science. One such important factor that is both poorly understood and quantified is their linkage with adjacent landfast sea ice (fast ice). Here, we present a first detailed analysis that identifies and quantifies key linkages between the dynamics/behaviour of the CDP and fast ice. By forming a barrier to the incursion of pack ice at the eastern boundary, fast ice immediately upstream of the CDP (associated with the distribution of grounded icebergs) plays a crucially-important role in the polynya formation, maintenance and variability. This satellite data-based study builds upon earlier conceptual work on polynya-fast ice feedback mechanisms in the Mertz Glacier region by showing that statistical estimation of the rates of sea ice production (and hence AABW formation) in the CDP is significantly improved through inclusion of two key fast-ice metrics, compared to use of atmospheric covariates alone. These two metrics are the meridional extent of fast ice upstream of the polynya and total fast ice area within the region of high sea ice production. The work highlights the importance of accurate representation of the coupled Antarctic coastal polynya-fast ice system in global climate models. • Studies the Cape Darnley Polynya, a globally-important producer of bottom water • Details links between Antarctic landfast sea ice and coastal polynya ice production • Defines fast ice metrics which describe variability in polynya size and production • Fast ice metrics are as important as atmospheric quantities for this polynya. • Provides an inter-comparison between passive microwave and MODIS fast ice maps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of Dense Shelf Water (DSW) and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) in the Southern Ocean is an essential part of the thermohaline circulation, and understanding this phenomenon is crucial for studying the global climate. AABW is formed as DSW flows down the continental slope and mixes with the surrounding waters. However, DSW formation and its descent remains a poorly resolved issue in many ocean models. We, therefore, simulated the formation and descent of DSW and investigated the model sensitivities to horizontal and vertical grid spacings. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) was used for the region off Cape Darnley in East Antarctica, one of the main AABW production areas, where historical and mooring data are available for comparison. Simulations with coarse horizontal grid resolutions of order (10 km) yielded high volumes of DSW on the shelf. However, the largest part of this DSW was transformed into intermediate water and advected westward. Horizontal model resolutions equal to or higher than 2 km were required to simulate the descent of DSW and a realistic AABW production. Simulated time series at a mooring located at a depth of 2,600 m showed periodic fluctuations in velocity and temperature of 0.3 m ⋅ s−1 and 0.5 °C, respectively, consistent with observations. We also found that high-resolution bathymetry datasets are crucial because the newly formed AABW volume was reduced by 20% when a smoother bathymetry was used on a 2-km resolution grid. Vertical resolution had little influence on model performance because the plume was much thicker (> 170 m) than the grids width. Therefore, reproducing the downslope flow of DSW and AABW formation in the Cape Darnley region can be achieved with a high horizontal resolution (≤ 2 km) and a relatively coarse vertical resolution (∼ 100 m on the continental slope). • We model AABW formation off Cape Darnley and test its sensitivity to grid spacings. • We simulate AABW formation in good agreement with observations in the region. • Fine horizontal resolutions ≥ 2 km yield realistic downslope flow, AABW properties. • Vertical resolution did not affect the simulation of AABW formation in the region. • Bathymetric data of O (100 km) is required to produce realistic amounts of AABW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of dense shelf water (DSW) in coastal polynyas (open water or thin sea-ice cover) in the sea-ice zone around Antarctica supplies Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) through overflow down the continental slope. In coastal polynyas, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) is absorbed by the ocean in the early spring because of active primary production, and DSW formation is an important process for transporting this carbon from the sea surface to the deep ocean. However, there have been few quantitative evaluations of carbon consumption by active primary production and transport in coastal polynyas. Here, we examined the carbon dynamics in the Cape Darnley polynya (CDP), East Antarctica during austral summer 2009, by using carbonate system parameters combined with oceanographic mooring data. The partial pressure of CO 2 in the CDP surface water was lower than that of the atmosphere and the mean and standard deviation of sea−air CO 2 flux was estimated as −6.5 ± 6.9 mmol C m−2 d−1 (a negative value indicates absorption of atmospheric CO 2 by the ocean). Vertical profiles of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration showed that concentrations in the bottom layer near the ocean floor were lower (by about 20 μmol kg−1) than those in the ambient water (e.g., modified Circumpolar Deep Water, mCDW). The low-DIC in the shelf water was maintained by the strong biological uptake of carbon imported from high-DIC mCDW within the water column. Therefore, low-DIC DSW overflowed down the continental slope, and low-DIC concentrations were maintained through an export pathway to the continental shelf. The annual production of dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon on the shelf was estimated as 0.7 × 1011–1.5 × 1011 mol C using the data for the DIC of DSW and current velocity data from a mooring in the CDP. Our results provide quantitative estimates for the potential role of carbon consumption by the active primary production and carbon transport by dense water formation in Antarctic coastal polynyas. • Strong biological carbon uptake in the Cape Darnley polynya • A Box-model reveals the carbon transport accompanying the outflow of DSW in the Cape Darnley polynya • Annual DIC transport from the surface to the deep layer is negative in the Cape Darnley polynya [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]