Summary

The spatio-temporal variability in the upwelling of iron-rich Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW) is thought to have a significant impact on primary production in the Southern Ocean, since iron has been shown to be a limiting nutrient in an otherwise high nutrient region. Decadal-scale changes in the position and strength of UCDW upwelling and in the mixed layer are related to changes in the position and strength of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which is in turn affected by changes in the westerly winds. Data from the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis dataset are used to determine decadal-scale trends in UCDW upwelling and also trends in the mixed layer, while satellite data is used to determine trends in regional primary production

Authors:Johnston B. Gabric A. Published in: 2009 Category 3: Poster Program area: Oceanography
Johnston B., Gabric A. (2009) Decadal-scale variability in the upwelling of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water and its impact on primary production of the Southern Ocea, 9th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography/16th Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Conference, Melbourne, Australia, February 2009 .;

Related projects

Modelling investigations of the shoaling of iron-rich upper circumpolar deep water and its role in the regulation of primary production at 60-65S GABRIC, Prof. Albert (Al) Australia (or home country)
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