Abstract
Tidal mixing plays an important role in the modification of dense water masses around the Antarctic continent. In addition to the vertical (diapycnal) mixing in the near-bottom layers, lateral mixing can also be of relevance in some areas. A numerical tide simulation shows that lateral tidal mixing is not uniformly distributed along the shelf break. In particular, strong mixing occurs all along the Ross Sea and Southern Weddell Sea shelf breaks, while other regions (e.g., the western Weddell Sea) are relatively quiet. The latter regions correspond surprisingly well to areas where indications for cross-shelf exchange of dense water masses have been found. The results suggest that lateral tidal mixing may account for the relatively small contribution of Ross Sea dense water masses to Antarctic Bottom Water.
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Received: 30 May 2002 / Accepted: 2 October 2002
Responsible Editor: John Wilkin
Present address: A. F. Pereira Núcleo de Estudos Oceanográficos, Departamento de Cîencias Exatas e Tecnológicas, Rod. Itabuna-Ilhéus km 16, 45650-000 Ilhéus BA, Brazil
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Beckmann, A., Pereira, A. Lateral tidal mixing in the Antarctic marginal seas. Ocean Dynamics 53, 21–26 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-002-0020-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-002-0020-9