Abstract:

In this paper, a distribution ol the oxygen-minimum layer in the sea area adjacent to the South Shetland Islands and north of the Ardleyd Island, Antarctica, in summer is discussed.The vertical distribution of oxygen in oxygen-minimum layer has the following features: 1). The depth at which the oxygen content greatly decreases is coincident with the depth of pycnocline; 2). There is a thick water layer with low oxygen content; 3). The oxygen-minimum layer occurs below the thermocline and coincides with the depth at which the temperature mostly increases. According to preliminary result of correlation analysis, the variation of oxygen-minimum layer is related to physical preperties of the circulation and biochemical process in deep layer of the ocean.

Key words: Dissolved oxygon, Oxygen-minimum layer, South Shetland Island