Importance of the Antarctic Slope Current in the Southern Ocean Response to Ice Sheet Melt and Wind Stress Change

We use two coupled climate models, GFDL-CM4 and GFDL-ESM4, to investigate the physical response of Southern Ocean changes in surface wind stress, Antarctic meltwater, combined forcing a pre-industrial control simulation. The meltwater cools ocean all regions except Weddell Sea, where stress warms near-surface layer. limited sensitivity Sea layer is due spatial distribution fluxes, regional bathymetry, large-scale circulation patterns. dominates shelf models yield strikingly different responses along West Antarctica. disagreement attributable mean-state representation meltwater-driven acceleration Slope Current (ASC). In CM4, efficiently trapped on by well resolved, strong, accelerating ASC which isolates from warm offshore waters, leading strong subsurface cooling. ESM4, weaker diffuse allows more escape open ocean, does not become isolated, instead warming occurs. CM4 results suggest possible negative feedback mechanism that acts limit future melting, while ESM4 positive accelerate melt. Our demonstrate influence has governing shelf, highlighting importance coupling interactive ice sheet can resolve these dynamical processes.