Annual and spatial variations of chemical and physical properties in the Ross Sea surface waters (Antarctica)

The surface samples exhibit higher variability than 20 and 100 m ones, being more influenced by sea-ice-atmosphere exchange and pack-ice melting. The effect of annual variability, particularly on water column stability, temperature and nutrients, was consistent with different pack-ice coverages. In this regard, austral summer 2003, with a massive sea-ice coverage and megaberg presence, exhibited more atypical features (such as low water column stability and scarce nutrient removal) with respect to a normal year (i.e. 2006) than austral summer 1998, when pack-ice extension was conditioned by climate anomaly (El Niño event).