The thinning and acceleration of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has been attributed to basal melting induced by intrusions of relatively warm salty water across the continental shelf. A hydrographic section including lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements showing such an inflow in the channel leading to the Getz and Dotson Ice Shelves is presented here. The flow rate was 0.3-0.4 Sv (1 Sv equivalent to 10(6) m(3) s(-1)), and the subsurface heat loss was estimated lobe 1.2-1.6 TW. Assuming that the inflow persists throughout the year, it corresponds to an ice melt of 110-130 km(3) yr(-1), which exceeds recent estimates of the net ice glacier ice volume loss in the Amundsen Sea. The results also show a 100-150-m-thick intermediate water mass consisting of Circumpolar Deep Water that has been modified (cooled and freshened) by subsurface melting of ice shelves and/or icebergs. This water mass has not previously been reported in the region, possibly because of the paucity of historical data.
ISI Document Delivery No.: 611BD Times Cited: 38 Cited Reference Count: 20 Wahlin, A. K. Yuan, X. Bjork, G. Nohr, C. National Science Foundation (NSF) [ANT08-36137]; Swedish Polar Research Secretariat; Swedish Research Council (SRC) The cruise Oden Southern Ocean 2008/09 was carried out on IB Oden, and we are grateful for all of the help and logistic support from the crew. Bengt Liljebladh, Kevin Pedigo, and Jeremy Lucke provided expert technical assistance with preparations as well as during the cruise. The cruise was supported by National Science Foundation (NSF), Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, and the Swedish Research Council (SRC). The data from the World Ocean Database were compiled by the National Oceanographic Data Center of NOAA. Wahlin, Nohr, and Bjork were funded by SRC, and Yuan was supported by NSF Grant ANT08-36137. 38 Amer meteorological soc Boston Oceanography