ROSS ICE SHELF SEA TEMPERATURES

Two temperature profiles recorded by a sensitive bathythermograph at the Ross Ice Shelf Project site (82°22.5′S, 168°37.5′W) are presented. From the shape of the profiles it is concluded that an inflow of water at intermediate depths provides a source of heat to drive a regime in which ice is melted from the interface at a depth of 360 meters. Melting maintains the temperature of a thick layer under the ice at about -2.14°C, close to the ambient freezing temperature. A very well mixed layer about 35 meters thick was found at the seabed.