Weddell Sea Bottom Water is one of the densest water masses in the world oceans. As such, it and similar dense water masses formed in other locations around Antarctica spread throughout the deep part of the world's oceans. The goal of the NOAA-funded CORC/ARCHES project is to observe changes of the properties and strength of the outflow of Weddell Sea Deep and Bottom Water over a period of at least ten years. Since the Weddell Sea is a major source of deep water, changes in the outflowing deep and bottom waters formed there will in turn affect the global circulation.

Download a detailed Project Description (pdf)

Download a Project Information sheet (pdf)

Bathymetric map of the Weddell Sea indicating the position of several streams of newly formed Weddell Sea Bottom Water and the CORC/ARCHES repeat section and mooring array.