Physical oceanography in the Western Bransfield Strait and Gerlache Strait during Austral summer 1995/96

The main hydrographic structures of the study domain were the Southern Boundary of the ACC and the Bransfield Front. The characteristics and zonation of local water masses are discussed in terms of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrient and inorganic carbon concentrations.

Concentration intervals for water mass labelling, on the basis of chemical parameters in addition to the common theta/S-based classification, are defined. Silicate seems to be a very good discriminator for local water masses.