Sea ice control of water isotope transport to Antarctica and implications for ice core interpretation

Abstract

Sea ice in the Southern Ocean is important for Antarctic climate and hydrology. The dependence of water isotope abundance (δ18O and deuterium excess) on the winter sea ice state is examined with the isotopic version of the Melbourne University general circulation model. Reductions in the ice concentration provide warmer temperatures in winter and allow higher precipitation totals further south, while the reverse occurs with increased ice extent. The model shows clear demarcation between the changes in the isotopic conditions over the sea ice pack, where local changes in surface exchange dominate, and those of the continent interior, which depend on the long‐ranged transport aloft. While less..