Abstract
IN this communication, we point out two things: first, the existence of a convection process which is active when the surface water is considerably less dense than the deeper water, and, second, the importance of variations of depth on any convection which may occur. Previous theories1–5 all require the production of denser water near the surface by freezing during the winter; in contrast, the process discussed here can be driven by melting of surface ice, and can also be active in the summer. It can explain in a natural way the measured characteristics of Antarctic bottom water, and it is supported by observations of a simple laboratory model.
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GILL, A., TURNER, J. Some New Ideas about the Formation of Antarctic Bottom Water. Nature 224, 1287–1288 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/2241287a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2241287a0
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