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The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations
The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) in the Southern Ocean is a dynamic area shown to vary seasonally in width and extent northward. Remote sensing is the only tool available to give a large-scale picture of sea-ice conditions but it is important to note that only surface properties are visible in remote sen...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Oceanography
2019
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| _version_ | 1867614434852077568 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Kock, Wade |
| author2 | Vichi, Marcello |
| author_browse | De Kock, Wade Vichi, Marcello |
| author_facet | Vichi, Marcello De Kock, Wade |
| author_sort | De Kock, Wade |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) in the Southern Ocean is a dynamic area shown to vary seasonally in width and extent northward. Remote sensing is the only tool available to give a large-scale picture of sea-ice conditions but it is important to note that only surface properties are visible in remote sensing products. Little is known about the hydrographical properties of the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean in the austral winter as it is difficult to obtain shipboard observations. Using observations from southern elephant seals, it is possible to analyse properties such as salinity and temperature within the MIZ. These properties may then be related to observations of sea ice concentration obtained by remote sensing to qualitatively describe their relationships. This work provides an example of how data from selected seal observations and satellite data can be used operationally to define the hydrography of the MIZ, focusing on the years 2005 to 2009. Results show that the properties of the underlying water in the MIZ appear to be fairly constant in the region of 15°W to 45°E for the months of July and August. A warmer pool of water is evident in the east of this region. Based on what is known about the physics of the region and what is seen spatially regarding changes in temperature and salinity, the warm pool may be brought about by eddies along the South West Indian Ridge. Results also show that surface concentrations of sea ice may have an effect on the underlying properties of the water. A more detailed description of the characteristics and features in the MIZ may further help to understand key processes in the region. Changes in subsurface temperature and salinity may influence the formation of ice. This may in turn influence large to mesoscale processes in both the ocean and atmosphere. Understanding how these physical properties change and what may cause them to change can help further understanding of larger scale processes. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/29614 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:51:59.467Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | Department of Oceanography |
| publisherStr | Department of Oceanography |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/29614 The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations De Kock, Wade Vichi, Marcello Oceanography The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) in the Southern Ocean is a dynamic area shown to vary seasonally in width and extent northward. Remote sensing is the only tool available to give a large-scale picture of sea-ice conditions but it is important to note that only surface properties are visible in remote sensing products. Little is known about the hydrographical properties of the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean in the austral winter as it is difficult to obtain shipboard observations. Using observations from southern elephant seals, it is possible to analyse properties such as salinity and temperature within the MIZ. These properties may then be related to observations of sea ice concentration obtained by remote sensing to qualitatively describe their relationships. This work provides an example of how data from selected seal observations and satellite data can be used operationally to define the hydrography of the MIZ, focusing on the years 2005 to 2009. Results show that the properties of the underlying water in the MIZ appear to be fairly constant in the region of 15°W to 45°E for the months of July and August. A warmer pool of water is evident in the east of this region. Based on what is known about the physics of the region and what is seen spatially regarding changes in temperature and salinity, the warm pool may be brought about by eddies along the South West Indian Ridge. Results also show that surface concentrations of sea ice may have an effect on the underlying properties of the water. A more detailed description of the characteristics and features in the MIZ may further help to understand key processes in the region. Changes in subsurface temperature and salinity may influence the formation of ice. This may in turn influence large to mesoscale processes in both the ocean and atmosphere. Understanding how these physical properties change and what may cause them to change can help further understanding of larger scale processes. 2019-02-18T11:04:45Z 2019-02-18T11:04:45Z 2018 2019-02-18T08:03:57Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29614 eng application/pdf Department of Oceanography Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Oceanography De Kock, Wade The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| title_full | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| title_fullStr | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| title_short | The Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) seawater property dynamics of the Southern Ocean below Southern Africa using animal-borne observations |
| title_sort | marginal ice zone miz seawater property dynamics of the southern ocean below southern africa using animal borne observations |
| topic | Oceanography |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29614 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dekockwade themarginalicezonemizseawaterpropertydynamicsofthesouthernoceanbelowsouthernafricausinganimalborneobservations AT dekockwade marginalicezonemizseawaterpropertydynamicsofthesouthernoceanbelowsouthernafricausinganimalborneobservations |