Peculiarities of Dense Water Cascading off the Deep Part of Antarctic Continental Slope (A Case Study for the Commonwealth Sea)

Abstract

The developed approach to the calculation and construction of adequate local and common fields of potential density for the whole continental slope (to 2000 m) allows the representative detailed analysis of the downflow of cold and dense shelfwaters in all parts ofthe slope (cascading) in the Commonwealth Sea including the poorly explored deep part. Most often the slope cascading is manifested in the form of discrete meanders (in the steep part of the slope) or discrete plumes (both in the steep and deep parts). More rarely, it occurs in the form of intrusions and eddies (lenses). The pattern and stability of cascading depend on the slope steepness. The detected local irregularities of bottom topography also affect the cascading: they lead to the instability of density flows, intrusive layering, and eddy formation.