Articles | Volume 20, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-601-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-601-2024
Research article
 | 
19 Apr 2024
Research article |  | 19 Apr 2024

The Southern Ocean deep mixing band emerges from a competition between winter buoyancy loss and upper stratification strength

Romain Caneill, Fabien Roquet, and Jonas Nycander

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Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2404', Qian Li, 23 Nov 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Romain Caneill, 21 Dec 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2404', Justin Small, 15 Dec 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Romain Caneill, 21 Dec 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Romain Caneill on behalf of the Authors (04 Jan 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (08 Jan 2024) by Ilker Fer
RR by Qian Li (31 Jan 2024)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (07 Feb 2024) by Ilker Fer
AR by Romain Caneill on behalf of the Authors (16 Feb 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (21 Feb 2024) by Ilker Fer
AR by Romain Caneill on behalf of the Authors (21 Feb 2024)
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Short summary
In winter, heat loss increases density at the surface of the Southern Ocean. This increase in density creates a mixed layer deeper than 250 m only in a narrow deep mixing band (DMB) located around 50° S. North of the DMB, the stratification is too strong to be eroded, so mixed layers are shallower. The density of cold water is almost not impacted by temperature changes. Thus, heat loss does not significantly increase the density south of the DMB, so no deep mixed layers are produced.