Physical Oceanography and observation of environmental conditions Bransfield Strait and around Elephant Island

Abstract

The physical characteristics oceanographic in the Bransfield Strait presented characteristics of three types of water: Weddell Sea waters, Bellingshausen Sea waters characterized by the presence of surface water Antarctic Circumpolar Deep and Gerlache Strait waters. During this study, the separation of the warm waters and few salts flowing toward the northeast in the northern half of the Bransfield Strait, with cold water and saline occupying the southern half visualized. In the area of the experiment on Elephant Island, the temperature increase of about 0.5 °C between 2 pm on day 3 and 7 hours on day 4 was observed; however, the thermocline was stable over 100 m deep. There is also a distinct thermal behavior (thermal descent) recorded in the deep zone below 400 m depth after 18 pm day 3. While salinity did not reflect significant changes, mainly in the first surface layers.