Physical oceanographic conditions in the Expedition ANTAR XVII

Abstract

Registered physical oceanographic conditions are part of a research cruise to assess longterm hydrographic and biological changes in the Bransfield Strait and its causes. Historical oceanographic transects are made in the austral summers Antar expeditions, run from the South Shetland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula, in order to include major water bodies and determine their influence on the water in the central spin Strait Bransfield. Bransfield maintained oceanographic characteristics, where three types of water interact, the same coming from the Weddell, Bellingshausen and Gerlache Strait. It is also characterized by the presence of the Bransfield Front (FB), which deviates warm water and low salinity of cold water and salt, the first flow toward the northeast in the northern half and the second occupies the southern half of the strait. The experiment conducted on Elephant Island, indicates that the variability of the subsurface layer, maintains a cyclic variation, rising slightly during the day, dropping at night, keeping the night with a higher water column “warm” compared to day.