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Science 2 February 1979:
Vol. 203. no. 4379, pp. 438 - 439
DOI: 10.1126/science.203.4379.438
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Articles

Ross Ice Shelf Sea Temperatures

A. E. GILMOUR 1

1 New Zealand Oceanographic Institute, Wellington, New Zealand

Two temperature profiles recorded by a sensitive bathythermograph at the Ross Ice Shelf Project site (82°22.5'S, 168°37.5'W) are presented. From the shape of the profiles it is concluded that an inflow of water at intermediate depths provides a source of heat to drive a regime in which ice is melted from the interface at a depth of 360 meters. Melting maintains the temperature of a thick layer under the ice at about –2.14°C, close to the ambient freezing temperature. A very well mixed layer about 35 meters thick was found at the seabed.

Submitted on May 19, 1978
Revised on August 28, 1978


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Core Drilling Through the Ross Ice Shelf (Antarctica) Confirmed Basal Freezing.
I. A. Zotikov, I. A. ZOTIKOV, V. S. ZAGORODNOV, and J. V. RAIKOVSKY (1980)
Science 207, 1463-1465
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Ross Ice Shelf Project.
J. W. Clough, J. W. CLOUGH, and B. L. HANSEN (1979)
Science 203, 433-434
   Abstract »    PDF »
Circulation and Melting Beneath the Ross Ice Shelf.
S. S. Jacobs, S. S. JACOBS, A. L. GORDON, and J. L. ARDAI JR. (1979)
Science 203, 439-443
   Abstract »    PDF »


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