Surface and sub-surface hydrographic variability at the Prince Edward Islands: perspectives from the high resolution GLORYS model
type: CreativeWork
description: The Prince Edward Islands (PEI), comprising of Marion and Prince Edward Island, are located in the direct path of the eastward flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current, nestled within the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone of the Southern Ocean. The islands are home to a multitude of species which are supported by a sensitive and complex oceanic environment. Understanding the mechanisms at work, which sustain this rich ecosystem is therefore imperative for both the ecological management of the PEIs, and for the possible prediction of future climate changedriven environmental impacts. The presence of a possible Taylor column has been suggested as a main driver in supporting and maintaining the PEI ecosystem. However, due to the remote and hostile environment in which the islands are located, in situ data collection has proven to be a challenging task, which is necessary to study the Taylor column and to understand the island's general hydrographic variability. This study thus makes use of available in situ, satellite, reanalysis and modelled bathymetry data, to compare against the GLORYSV12 model output. This was to determine how accurately the model could reproduce surface and subsurface variability of temperature, salinity, Sea Surface Height (SSH) and surface circulation at the PEIs, and to identify whether in situ, satellite and model conditions are suitable for the existence and evolution of a possible Taylor column at the islands. A clear overestimation of the geostrophic currents (up to 0.2 m s -1 ) and underestimation of SSH (up to 0.6 m) by GLORYS was observed. The spatial and temporal variability of temperature and salinity was captured by GLORYS throughout the entire water column, despite the differences between temperature (biases from -2 to 2 oC) and salinity (biases from -0.4 to 0.4 PSU). Additionally, GLORYS was also able to simulate all five water masses, known to occur within the PEI region, throughout time. When GLORYS was compared to single point in situ SS…
abstract: The Prince Edward Islands (PEI), comprising of Marion and Prince Edward Island, are located in the direct path of the eastward flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current, nestled within the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone of the Southern Ocean. The islands are home to a multitude of species which are supported by a sensitive and complex oceanic environment. Understanding the mechanisms at work, which sustain this rich ecosystem is therefore imperative for both the ecological management of the PEIs, and for the possible prediction of future climate changedriven environmental impacts. The presence of a possible Taylor column has been suggested as a main driver in supporting and maintaining the PEI ecosystem. However, due to the remote and hostile environment in which the islands are located, in situ data collection has proven to be a challenging task, which is necessary to study the Taylor column and to understand the island's general hydrographic variability. This study thus makes use of available in situ, satellite, reanalysis and modelled bathymetry data, to compare against the GLORYSV12 model output. This was to determine how accurately the model could reproduce surface and subsurface variability of temperature, salinity, Sea Surface Height (SSH) and surface circulation at the PEIs, and to identify whether in situ, satellite and model conditions are suitable for the existence and evolution of a possible Taylor column at the islands. A clear overestimation of the geostrophic currents (up to 0.2 m s -1 ) and underestimation of SSH (up to 0.6 m) by GLORYS was observed. The spatial and temporal variability of temperature and salinity was captured by GLORYS throughout the entire water column, despite the differences between temperature (biases from -2 to 2 oC) and salinity (biases from -0.4 to 0.4 PSU). Additionally, GLORYS was also able to simulate all five water masses, known to occur within the PEI region, throughout time. When GLORYS was compared to single point in situ SS…
author: Soares, Bianca
keywords: Oceanography
date published: 2023
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:22:38Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Oceanography

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39871