Ten-month observation of the bottom current regime across a sediment drift of the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula

Camerlenghi, Angelo; Crise, A.; Pudsey, C.J.; Accerboni, E.; Laterza, R.; Rebesco, M.. 1997 Ten-month observation of the bottom current regime across a sediment drift of the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctic Science, 9 (04). 426-433. 10.1017/S0954102097000552

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000552

Abstract/Summary

We present two time series of bottom current and temperature collected 8 m above the seabed on either side of a large sediment drift located on the continental rise of the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula. The mean current speed is comparable (6.2 cm s−1 and 6.1 cm s−1 respectively), but the mean direction differs by about 121°. The direction of mean flow follows the bathymetric contour, and the maximum speed never exceeds 20 cm s−1 (below the typical benthic storm threshold). The potential temperature is remarkably stable (0.11 ± 0.01°C and 0.13 ± 0.02°C at the two sites). The cross-covariance indicates a significant peak at 20.2 days lag, slightly longer than the travel time of 18.7 days calculated between the two stations following the isobaths (98.4 km) and thus providing evidence for the topographic control on bottom water flow. The observed bottom water flow is consistent with deposition of Holocene hemipelagic sediments of the ‘drift maintenance’ stage. Indicators for palaeoceanographic conditions during glacial periods of the ‘drift maintenance’ stage and the older ‘drift growth’ stage are at present too scarce to understand fully how the past oceanographic conditions influenced the evolution of the drifts.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1017/S0954102097000552
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
ISSN:	0954-1020
Additional Keywords:	Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Antarctic Peninsula, bottom currents, contourites, sediment drifts
Date made live:	14 Oct 2014 12:39 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508597

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1017/S0954102097000552

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme

ISSN:

0954-1020

Additional Keywords:

Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Antarctic Peninsula, bottom currents, contourites, sediment drifts

Date made live:

14 Oct 2014 12:39 +0 (UTC)