Characteristics of the meltwater field from a large Antarctic iceberg

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Oceans Vol. 120; no. 3; pp. 2259 - 2269
• Main Authors: Helly, John J, Vernet, Maria, Murray, Alison E, Stephenson, Gordon R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-03-2015
• Subjects: Geophysics; Icebergs; Meltwater; Meteoric waters; Oceans; Samples; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; PS, Antarctica, Ross Ice Shelf; PSW, Antarctica, Antarctic Peninsula, Powell Basin; PSW, Weddell Sea
• ISSN: 2169-9275; 2169-9291
• DOI: 10.1002/2015JC010772

Large tabular icebergs represent a disruptive influence on a stable water column when drifting in the open ocean. This is a study of one iceberg, C18A, encountered in the Powell Basin in the Weddell Sea in March 2009, formed from iceberg C18 originating from the Ross Ice Shelf in May 2002. C18A was lunate in shape with longest dimensions. The meltwater field from C18A was characterized using from water samples collected near C18A (Near-field, 0.4-2 km) and contrasted with a Far-field comprised of samples from an Away site (19 km from C18A), a Control site (70 km away), and a region populated with small icebergs (Iceberg Alley, 175 km away). The in-sample fractions of meteoric water were calculated relative in iceberg ice and Weddell Deep Water and converted to meteoric water height (m) and a percentage within 100 m depth bins. The Near-field and Far-field difference from surface to 200 m. The concentration of meteoric water dropped to approximately half that value below 200 m, approximate keel depth of the iceberg, although detectable to 600 m. From surface to 600 m, the overall difference was statistically significant. From this, we estimate the Near-field volume astern of the iceberg as a continuous source of meteoric water.