Oceans and seas:Antarctic Divergence
Published: March 29, 2010, 12:00 am
Updated: May 29, 2011, 12:42 pm
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C Michael HoganIn physical oceanography, the Antarctic Divergence is a region of rapid transition located in the Antarctic Zone of Southern Ocean between the Continental Water Boundary to the south and the Polar Front to the north. It can be distinguished hydrographically by a salinity maximum below about 150 meters caused by the upwelling of water of high salinity, i.e. North Atlantic Deep Water. Above this salinity maximum the boundaries are blurred by high precipitation and the melting of ice. Its position corresponds reasonably well to the demarcation between the east and west wind drifts which, in the light of Ekman dynamics, at least partially explains its divergent nature.
Antarctic Divergence. Source: Michigan State University
See Also
Further Reading
- Peter Saundry. 2011. Seas of the world. Topic ed. C.Michael Hogan. Ed-in-chief Cutler J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth
- TMatthias Tomczak and J. Stuart Godfrey. Regional Oceanography: An Introduction. Pergamon, 1994. pp. 76-79.
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Citation
Steve Baum (Lead Author);C Michael Hogan (Topic Editor) "Antarctic Divergence". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth March 29, 2010; Last revised Date May 29, 2011; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Antarctic_Divergence?topic=49523>
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Assistant Research Scientist, Physical Section
Department of Oceanography
Texas A&M University ... (Full Bio)
In physical oceanography, the Antarctic Divergence is a region of rapid transition located in the Antarctic Zone of Southern Ocean between the Continental Water Boundary to the south and the Polar Front to the north. It can be distinguished hydrographically by a salinity maximum below about 150 meters caused by the upwelling of water of high salinity, i.e. North Atlantic Deep Water. Above this salinity maximum the boundaries are blurred by high precipitation and the melting of ice. Its position corresponds reasonably well to the demarcation between the east and west wind drifts which, in the light of Ekman dynamics, at least partially explains its divergent nature.
Antarctic Divergence. Source: Michigan State University
See Also
Further Reading
- Peter Saundry. 2011. Seas of the world. Topic ed. C.Michael Hogan. Ed-in-chief Cutler J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth
- TMatthias Tomczak and J. Stuart Godfrey. Regional Oceanography: An Introduction. Pergamon, 1994. pp. 76-79.
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