The Shelf Circulation of the Bellingshausen Sea

Over recent decades, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has experienced rapid thinning of its floating ice shelves as well grounding line retreat across marine-terminating glaciers. The transport warm Modified Circumpolar Deep Water (MCDW) onto continental shelf, extensively documented along Peninsula (WAP), and in Amundsen Sea, been identified key process for inducing these changes. Bellingshausen Sea sits between northern part WAP, but oceanic properties remain remarkably under-studied compared to surrounding regions. Here, we present observations collected from a hydrographic survey shelf austral summer 2019. Using combination ship-based glider-based CTD lowered ADCP observations, show that submarine troughs provide topographically steered pathways MCDW break toward deep embayments ultimately under shelves. Warm enters at deepest Belgica Trough flows onshore eastern side trough. Modification shoreward-flowing waters by glacial melt is estimated calculating meltwater fractions using an optimal multiparameter analysis. Meltwater found be elevated western edge both Latady troughs. distributions, consistent with other diagnostics, suggest recirculation each trough modified eventually flowing westward upon leaving Trough. Our results critical larger circulation system, linking WAP Sea.