Ross Ice Shelf Sea Temperatures

Abstract

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.