HR: 1340h
AN: OS43B-1240    [Abstracts]
TI: Seeking the True Antarctic Ocean
AU: * Miller, R G
EM: Forstinst@aol.com
AF: Dept. EEB, University of Arizona and Forest Associates, 3375 E. 2nd St., Tucson, AZ 85716,
AB: With World Ocean warming a corrected name use is recommend with a universal adoption of the name, "Antarctic Ocean. This one large body of circumpolar water lies adjacent to - and south of - the Antarctic Convergence, on its northern perimeter, and is bordered to the south by the shoreline of the Antarctic continent. The Antarctic Ocean has a distinct water mass, with a true perimeter, and with a homogeneity, comprizing a unique environment for a specialized flora and fauna. It is recognized generally by its surface waters, ranging from 3.5 - 4.5 degrees Celsius (summer) and one degree C (winter).While its northern boundary, ' The Antarctic Convergence', has a water quality and thermal difference, this polar front is continuous and circumpolar, and it abuts -- and streams along with -- the ultimate southern extremities of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean waters. Parameters, characteristics and dynamics of water exchange are considered, here, with some water exchanges, with Intermediate and Antarctic Bottom water noted. It maintains its own forceful 'West Wind Drift', a current driven and emboldened by Earth's Geostrophic West Wind. Features defining the Antarctic Ocean: (1)Washing all shores of the continent named Antarctica; it is .the only ocean reaching this Antarctic Continent.; (2) it is one of Earth's two Polar (and coldest) oceans, the other, named Arctic Ocean, of which it is the opposite (the Anti); (3) its distinctive cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean and its peripheral seas, floating ice tongues, the frigid stamp of Antarctica's continental glaciers and ice fields; (4) the Antarctic Continent is the source of continual replenishment from her ice cap and melt-water derived from the great mountains, valleys and the massive polar dome of ice. Further, in the literature the present usage, 'Southern Ocean', by some authors, confuses the true Antarctic environmental waters (i.e. south of - and within the South Polar Front - Convergence) with southern ocean waters, that extend farther northward, beyond the convergence, to the 60th parallel of S. latitude. Conclusions of this paper thus deal with clarifying existing vaguaries and apparent inappropriate usage of name and designations. This gives us a more definitive geographic-ecologic area than has been commonly recognized, and clarifies the procedure of testing for ocean change with global warming.
DE: 4200 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting