Chinese Journal of Polar Research

ADVANCES IN POLAR SCIENCE ›› 2005, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (1-English): 41-50.

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Hydrological character and sea-current structure in the front of Amery Ice Shelf

Chen Hongxia1, Pan Zengdi2, Jiao Yutian1 and Xiang Baoqiang1   

  1. 1 Key Lab of Marine Science and Numercal Modeling, First Institute of Oceanography, SOA, Qingdao 266061, China;
    2 Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai 200136, China
  • Online:1955-03-30 Published:1955-03-30
  • Contact: Chen Hongxia

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Abstract:

Hydrological character and Sea-current profiles structure are studied and analyzed in sea-area of the front of Amery Ice Shelf,Prydz Bay with LADCP,CTD data.These LADCP,CTD data were acquired during the 19th Chinese Antarctic Sci- entific Expedition.Results of this study agree with that,there exist four different kinds of water masses in the area of the front of Amery Ice Shelf in the summer of Ant- arctica.Current distribution presents a semi-circumfluence which flows in at the east and flows out in the west.Moreover,clockwise and anti-clockwise vortices were found in upper layer and mid-layer in the Prydz Bay.Western areas of these anti- clockwise vortices are positions of inflows from Prydz Bay to Amery Ice Shelf.The source of these inflows is the coastal westward current originated in the east of Prydz Bay.All these characteristics come down to the pattern of circumfluence,ice melt rate under Ice Shelf,scale of Ice Shelf water production and form of water exchanges between area of Ice Shelf and area of Prydz Bay.

Key words: Prydz Bay, Amery Ice Shelf, Ice-Shelf water