About the project
The West Antarctic Peninsula is a highly dynamic region that has undergone significant changes in atmospheric temperature, sea ice and glacial ice over the past 40 years. Much of this variability is driven by the ocean, where large volumes of warm Circumpolar Deep Water intrude onto the shelves and are modified by mixing processes prior to reaching marine-terminating glaciers and ice shelves at the coast. Quantifying and understanding the mechanisms behind these processes is key to understanding the heat budget of the WAP and its sensitivity to future atmospheric and ocean forcing. Using a range of datasets, this project will seek to answer:
- What is the temporal variability in turbulent mixing and heat fluxes on the West Antarctic Peninsula?
- What are the key controls on this variability, including the role of winds, tides, sea ice and topography?
- How is this variability linked to broader scale atmospheric and ocean circulation, including Southern Annual Mode/El Nino Southern Oscillation etc.?
For full project details visit the Inspire project page.
Lead supervisor
- Doctor Alexander Brearley (British Antarctic Survey)
Supervisors
- Professor Alberto Naveira Garabato (University of Southampton)
- Doctor Hugh Venables (British Antarctic Survey)
- Doctor Kate Hendry (British Antarctic Survey)
- Professor Michael Meredith (British Antarctic Survey)