Ocean glider observations of iceberg-enhanced biological production in the northwestern Weddell Sea

Biddle, Louise C., Kaiser, Jan, Heywood, Karen J., Thompson, Andrew F. and Jenkins, Adrian (2015) Ocean glider observations of iceberg-enhanced biological production in the northwestern Weddell Sea. Geophysical Research Letters, 42 (2). pp. 459-465. ISSN 0094-8276

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062850

Abstract

Icebergs affect local biological production around Antarctica. We used an ocean glider to observe the effects of a large iceberg that was advected by the Antarctic Slope Current along the continental slope in the northwestern Weddell Sea in early 2012. The high-resolution glider data reveal a pronounced effect of the iceberg on ocean properties, with oxygen concentrations of (13±4) μmolkg-1 higher than levels in surrounding waters, which are most likely due to positive net community production. This response was confined to three areas of water in the direct vicinity of the iceberg track, each no larger than 2 km2. Our findings suggest that icebergs have an impact on Antarctic production presumably through local micronutrient injections, on a scale smaller than typical satellite observations of biological production in the Southern Ocean.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Antarctic, Gliders, Iceberg, Production
Subjects: F600 Geology
F700 Ocean Sciences
F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
F900 Others in Physical Sciences
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User: Rachel Branson
Date Deposited: 31 Mar 2020 15:06
Last Modified: 31 Jul 2021 18:46
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/42638

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