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Difference between revisions of "Amundsen Sea"
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[[File:AmundsenSea-map.jpg|thumb|Map of the Amundsen Sea]] | |||
The '''Amundsen Sea''', an arm of the [[Southern Ocean]] off of [[Westarctica]] in western [[Antarctica]], lies between [[Cape Flying Fish]] (the northwestern tip of [[Thurston Island]]) to the east and Cape Dart on [[Siple Island]] to the west. Cape Flying Fish marks the boundary between the Amundsen Sea and the [[Bellingshausen Sea]]. West of Cape Dart there is an unnamed "marginal sea" of the Southern Ocean between the Amundsen and Ross Seas. The Norwegian expedition of 1928–1929 under Captain Nils Larsen named the body of water for the Norwegian polar explorer [[Roald Amundsen]] while exploring this area in February 1929. | The '''Amundsen Sea''', an arm of the [[Southern Ocean]] off of [[Westarctica]] in western [[Antarctica]], lies between [[Cape Flying Fish]] (the northwestern tip of [[Thurston Island]]) to the east and Cape Dart on [[Siple Island]] to the west. Cape Flying Fish marks the boundary between the Amundsen Sea and the [[Bellingshausen Sea]]. West of Cape Dart there is an unnamed "marginal sea" of the Southern Ocean between the Amundsen and Ross Seas. The Norwegian expedition of 1928–1929 under Captain Nils Larsen named the body of water for the Norwegian polar explorer [[Roald Amundsen]] while exploring this area in February 1929. | ||
The sea is mostly ice-covered, and the [[Thwaites Ice Tongue]] protrudes into it. The ice sheet which drains into the Amundsen Sea averages about 3 km (1.9 mi) in thickness; roughly the size of the state of Texas, this area is known as the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE); it forms one of the three major ice-drainage basins of the [[West Antarctic Ice Sheet]]. | The sea is mostly ice-covered, and the [[Thwaites Ice Tongue]] protrudes into it. The [[ice sheet]] which drains into the Amundsen Sea averages about 3 km (1.9 mi) in thickness; roughly the size of the state of Texas, this area is known as the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE); it forms one of the three major ice-drainage basins of the [[West Antarctic Ice Sheet]]. | ||
It is Westarctica's largest sea. | It is Westarctica's largest sea. | ||
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==Amundsen Sea as part of the Southern Ocean== | ==Amundsen Sea as part of the Southern Ocean== | ||
[[File:Sea Ice - Amundsen Sea.jpg|thumb|Antarctic iceberg - Amundsen Sea in Westarctica]] | |||
In January 2010, a modelling study suggested that the "tipping point" for Pine Island Glacier may have been passed in 1996, with a retreat of 200 km possible by 2100, producing a corresponding 24 cm (0.79 ft) of sea level rise, although it was suggested that these estimates for timespan were conservative. However, the modelling study also states that "Given the complex, three-dimensional nature of the real Pine Island glacier ... it should be clear that the [...] model is a very crude representation of reality." | In January 2010, a modelling study suggested that the "tipping point" for Pine Island Glacier may have been passed in 1996, with a retreat of 200 km possible by 2100, producing a corresponding 24 cm (0.79 ft) of sea level rise, although it was suggested that these estimates for timespan were conservative. However, the modelling study also states that "Given the complex, three-dimensional nature of the real Pine Island glacier ... it should be clear that the [...] model is a very crude representation of reality." | ||