Deep ocean ventilation pathways
This WP aims to describe and understand the dynamics of dense water formation, transformation and import/export in the Weddell Sea, and their role in providing a ventilation pathway between the atmosphere and the abyssal ocean in the wider Southern Hemisphere. This will be approached through a coherent combination of synthesising existing observations, modelling at 1o globally and 1/12o regionally, and a limited number of new observations at key points. This work will address the following goals:
- Produce decadal time series of observed dense water formation and along-slope transport within and from the Weddell Gyre, and combine these to identify the impact of upstream formation changes on deep interior pathways and ultimate export volumes and properties.
- Identify the relative role of Ice Shelf Waters (ISW) and High Salinity Shelf Waters (HSSW) formation sites in setting the volume and properties of Weddell Sea dense water.
- Track the pathways of export of Weddell Sea bottom water through the global ocean and identify the sites, timescales and processes driving consumption of this water.
- Produce and test a framework for Weddell Gyre dynamics capable of explaining the structure and variability identified from a synthesis of Weddell Sea observations and linking such variability to changes in sea ice production and air-sea fluxes.
- Task 3.0: Scientific Coordination [Lead: A.J.S. Meijers (UKRI-BAS); participant: S. Østerhus (UNIRES)]
- Task 3.1: Observe shelf processes and export [Lead S. Østerhus (UNIRES); participants T. Kanzow (AWI), A. Meijers (UKRI-BAS), P. Abrahamsen (UKRI-BAS), G. Madec (SU)]
- Task 3.2: Slope processes and dynamics [Lead T. Kanzow (AWI); participants A. Meijers (UKRIBAS), C. de Lavergne (SU), S. Østerhus (UNIRES)]
- Task 3.3: Bottom water export and consumption [Lead C. de Lavergne (SU); participants A. Meijers (UKRI-BAS), T. Kanzow (AWI), S. Østerhus (UNIRES)]
- Task 3.4: Synthesis and gyre scale dynamics [Lead A. Meijers (UKRI-BAS); participants: T. Kanzow (AWI), S. Østerhus (UNIRES), J-B. Sallée (SU), C. de Lavergne (SU)]
WP leaders: S. Østerhus (UNIRES), A.J.S. Meijers (UKRI-BAS)
Other participants: C. de Lavergne (SU), G. Madec (SU), T. Kanzow (AWI), M. Meredith (UKRIBAS), P. Abrahamsen (UKRI-BAS), J.B. Sallée (SU)
External collaborator: B. Huber (Uni. Columbia, USA), A. Gordon (Uni. Columbia, USA)
- WP1: Air-sea fluxesWP2: Upper ocean ventilation pathwaysWP3: Deep ocean ventilation pathwaysWP4: Abrupt large polynya events shortcutting conventional pathwaysWP5: Impact on the coupled climate systemWP6: Variability and trends of heat and carbon uptake and storageWP7: Data management and connection with climate servicesWP8: Project management and dissemination