IV. WEDDELL SEA AREA, CXJEANOGRAPHY 



A« General 



This large indentation in the Atlantic side of the Antarctic 

 Continent lies between the Palmer Peninsula to the west and Coats 

 Land to the east. The southern boundary remains doubtful because of 

 incomplete exploration. Recently, the Argentines have reported ex- 

 ploring the coast from Duke Ernst Bay as far as Gould Bay, To the 

 north, the Weddell Sea is bounded by the South Shetland, South Orkney, 

 and South Sandwich Islands, From the ;tip of Palmer Penins\ila at 

 D'Urville Island to Cape Norvegia In Coats Land, the Weddell Sea is 

 approximately 1,100 miles long; from north to south it is about 800 

 miles wide. The southern portion of the Weddell Sea is occupied by 

 an extensive ice shelf, which is a continuation of the shelf ice which 

 extends along Coats Land. Until recently a large ice mass, the 

 Stancorob-Wills Ice Tongue, extended into the sea along the Caird Coast. 

 However, in 19^B) the Argentines reported that this prominent feature 

 had disappeared. 



The outer, main portion of the Weddell Sea is considerably deeper 

 than the Ross Sea and reaches extreme depths of nearly 5,000 metors. 

 The southern portion has been only sketchily sounded (mainly as a 

 result of the drift of the ENDURANCE) but appears to be much more 

 shalloi^ (300 to UOO meters), with a regularly sloping bottom along 

 the east coast of the Palmer Peninsula. To the north is the great 

 Meteor Deep, which drops off to 8,200 meters. Within 150 miles of 

 the Meteor Deep (61.5° S, 23° W. ) is an unnajued rock about 20 feet 

 high and UOO feet long, which via.3 first reported in 1928 and was 

 confirmed in 1930, 



The extent of the pack ice in the Weddell Sea appears to be ex- 

 tremely variable from one season to another. In general, the sea is 

 ice filled during the s'lnmer mouths, especially to the north and west. 

 Later in the season a warm current, originating in the Indian Ocean, 

 sweeps southwestward into the V/eddell Sea and breaks up the pack, 

 Durjjig most seasons, ships can enter the area without encountering 

 much ice by going to the east and coming onto the coast by Cape Nor- 

 vegia on Queen Maud Land, or even farther eastward. There is commonly 

 an open shore lead along Coats Land as far west as Duke Ernst Bay. 

 In 1955, the SAN MARTIN reported this lead to be 00 miles in width 

 and open throughout the month of January, This lead also extends 

 eastward along the Princess Martha Coast. Ships taking advantage 

 of the open water along Coats Land run some risk of being closed in 

 by the shifting pack which may be bloim in from the north, 



A westerly setting current follows along Coats Land from Cape 

 Norvegia and, together with the prevailing winds, largely accounts 



12 



