Feedbacks between the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the global ocean circulation

The nature of the relationship between the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) and the global ocean circulation remains uncertain. Proxy evidence suggests that cooling oceans lead to reduced melting of the AIS, increased formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and a colder and saltier deep ocean; in contrast, warming oceans lead to increased melting of the AIS, reduced formation of AABW and a warmer and fresher deep ocean. These changes in ocean circulation have important implications for the global carbon cycle. Understanding of these processes is critical if we are to be able to predict future changes in the AIS, the global ocean and the nature of ocean-climate coupling.

This project will use the history of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the past glacial cycle to explore the feedbacks between the AIS and the global ocean circulation. State-of-the-art models will be used to simulate ice-ocean interactions, with a particular emphasis on ice shelf dynamics, and to test dynamical hypotheses. Proxy data from the Southern Ocean will be used to inform the experimental design and to validate the model simulations.