Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1352
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1352
26 Jun 2023
 | 26 Jun 2023

Altered Weddell Sea warm- and dense-water pathways in response to 21st-century climate change

Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle

Abstract. The transport of water masses with ocean circulation is a key component of the global climate system. In this context, the Filchner Trough in the southern Weddell Sea is critical, as it is a hotspot for the cross-shelf-break exchange of Dense Shelf Water and Warm Deep Water. We present results from Lagrangian particle tracking experiments in a global ocean-sea ice model (FESOM-1.4) which includes ice-shelf cavities and has eddy-permitting resolution on the southern Weddell Sea continental shelf. With backward and forward experiments, we assess changes between a present-day and a future (SSP5-8.5) time slice in the origin of waters reaching the Filchner Ice Shelf front and the fate of waters leaving it. We show that particles reaching the ice-shelf front from the open ocean originate from 173 % greater depths by 2100 (median), while waters leaving the cavity towards the open ocean end up at 35 % shallower depths. Simultaneously, median transit times between the Filchner Ice Shelf front and the continental shelf break decrease (increase) by 6 (9.5) months in the backward (forward) experiments. Pathways of water leaving the continental shelf increasingly occur in the upper ocean, while the on-shelf flow of waters that might reach the ice shelf cavity, i.e., at deeper layers, becomes more important by 2100. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the sensitivity of regional circulation patterns in the southern Weddell Sea to on-going climate change, with direct implications for ice-shelf basal melt rates and local ecosystems.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Jan 2024
Altered Weddell Sea warm- and dense-water pathways in response to 21st-century climate change
Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle
Ocean Sci., 20, 85–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-85-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-85-2024, 2024
Short summary
Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1352', Anonymous Referee #1, 26 Sep 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1352', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 Nov 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1352', Anonymous Referee #1, 26 Sep 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-1352', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 Nov 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Ralph Timmermann on behalf of the Authors (17 Nov 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (28 Nov 2023) by Mehmet Ilicak
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (28 Nov 2023)
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (07 Dec 2023)
ED: Publish as is (08 Dec 2023) by Mehmet Ilicak
AR by Ralph Timmermann on behalf of the Authors (09 Dec 2023)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Jan 2024
Altered Weddell Sea warm- and dense-water pathways in response to 21st-century climate change
Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle
Ocean Sci., 20, 85–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-85-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-85-2024, 2024
Short summary
Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle

Data sets

FESOM-REcoM model data: Lagrangian particle trajectories Cara Nissen https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8051366

Cara Nissen, Ralph Timmermann, Mathias van Caspel, and Claudia Wekerle

Viewed

Total article views: 315 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
231 62 22 315 17 14
  • HTML: 231
  • PDF: 62
  • XML: 22
  • Total: 315
  • BibTeX: 17
  • EndNote: 14
Views and downloads (calculated since 26 Jun 2023)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 26 Jun 2023)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 306 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 306 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 12 Sep 2024
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
The southeastern Weddell Sea is important for global ocean circulation due to the cross-shelf-break exchange of Dense Shelf Water and Warm Deep Water, but their exact circulation pathways remain elusive. Using Lagrangian model experiments in an eddy-permitting ocean model, we show how present circulation pathways and transit times of these water masses on the continental shelf are altered by 21st-century climate change, which has implications for local ice-shelf basal melt rates and ecosystems.