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Abstract. The Amundsen Sea polynya hosts intense sea ice formation, but, due to the presence of relatively warm and salty modified Circumpolar Deep Water, the cold, brine-enriched water is not typically dense enough to sink to the deep ocean. A hydrographic survey of the Dotson Ice Shelf region in the Amundsen Sea using two ocean gliders identified and characterised subsurface lenses containing water with temperatures less than −1.70 °C. These lenses, located at depths between 240 to 500 m, were colder, saltier and denser than the overlying Winter Water (WW) layer. The pH of the lenses was 7.99, lower than WW by 0.02 and the dissolved inorganic carbon concentration was higher in the lenses than WW by approximately 10 µmol kg−1. The lenses were associated with a dissolved oxygen concentration greater than surrounding water at the same depth and density due to the cold temperatures increasing O2 solubility. We hypothesise that these lenses are a product of wintertime surface cooling and brine rejection in areas with intense sea ice formation. They may form in shallow regions, potentially around the Martin Peninsula and Bear Island, where intense upper ocean heat loss occurs, and then spill off into the deeper Dotson-Getz Trough to reach their neutrally-buoyant depth. This is supported by wintertime temperature and salinity observations. This study highlights the importance of shallow parts of shelf seas for generating cold dense water masses in the warm sector of Antarctica. These lenses are widespread in the region of the Dotson-Getz Trough and have the potential to sequester carbon deeper than typical in the region, alongside cooling the water impinging on the Dotson ice shelf base.more » « lessFree, publicly-accessible full text available October 30, 2026
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Abstract. As the largest active carbon reservoir on Earth, the ocean is a cornerstone of the global carbon cycle, playing a pivotal role in modulating ocean health and regulating climate. Understanding these crucial roles requires access to a broad array of data products documenting the changing chemistry of the global ocean as a vast and interconnected system. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of 60 existing ocean carbonate chemistry data products, encompassing compilations of cruise datasets, derived gap-filled data products, model simulations, and compilations thereof. It is intended to help researchers identify and access data products that best align with their research objectives, thereby advancing our understanding of the ocean's evolving carbonate chemistry.more » « lessFree, publicly-accessible full text available May 15, 2026
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The international and interdisciplinary sea-ice drift expedition “The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate” (MOSAiC) was conducted from October 2019 to September 2020. The aim of MOSAiC was to study the interconnected physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and processes from the atmosphere to the deep sea of the central Arctic system. The ecosystem team addressed current knowledge gaps and explored unknown biological properties over a complete seasonal cycle focusing on three major research areas: biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, and linkages to the environment. In addition to the measurements of core properties along a complete seasonal cycle, dedicated projects covered specific processes and habitats, or organisms on higher taxonomic or temporal resolution in specific time windows. A wide range of sampling instruments and approaches, including sea-ice coring, lead sampling with pumps, rosette-based water sampling, plankton nets, remotely operated vehicles, and acoustic buoys, was applied to address the science objectives. Further, a broad range of process-related measurements to address, for example, productivity patterns, seasonal migrations, and diversity shifts, were made both in situ and onboard RV Polarstern. This article provides a detailed overview of the sampling approaches used to address the three main science objectives. It highlights the core sampling program and provides examples of habitat- or process-specific sampling. The initial results presented include high biological activities in wintertime and the discovery of biological hotspots in underexplored habitats. The unique interconnectivity of the coordinated sampling efforts also revealed insights into cross-disciplinary interactions like the impact of biota on Arctic cloud formation. This overview further presents both lessons learned from conducting such a demanding field campaign and an outlook on spin-off projects to be conducted over the next years.more » « less
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