Antarctic Bottom Water in the Scotia Sea and the Drake Passage

R. Yu. Tarakanov

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

E-mail: rtarakanov@gmail.com

Received October 6, 2008

Abstract—The quantitative features and circulation of the Antarctic bottom water (AABW) in the Scotia Sea
are investigated using an original procedure for the determination of the boundaries between the water masses.
It is shown that the AABW is effectively transferred across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) from the
regions on the south flank of this current where the AABW penetrates into the Scotia Sea. This transfer results
in the abyssal water cooling and freshening in the Yaghan Basin of the north Scotia Sea. Some rises and depres-
sions in the bottom relief of the western and northern Scotia Sea are important features that impact the AABW
transfer. It is shown that there is an additional path of the AABW transit transport to the North Atlantic passing
through the western Scotia Sea. The existence of the semienclosed cyclonic abyssal water circulation in the
South Shetland Trench and the westward transport of the Atlantic AABW along the Antarctic slope foot into
the Pacific are proved.

DOI: 10.1134/S0001437009050026

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