The Antarctic convergence South of New Zealand

Abstract

A detailed profile of temperature and salinity across the upper layers of the Antarctic Convergence worked to the north of the Ross Sea during February 1958 is discussed in terms of water movements and mixing across this major oceanic water mass boundary. The introduction of Pacific Deep Water into near surface waters is found to dominate the hydrological pattern, its influence apparently enhanced in this sector of the Southern Ocean by the position of the Pacific Antarctic Ridge in relation to deep water movements, This results in water of relatively high salinity for the Antarctic zone being found in this sector, and also introduces water of low ¹⁴C activity from the very “old” Deep water into the surface pattern resulting in a significant carbon-14 depletion of Antarctic surface water.