The relationship between biophysical variables and halocarbon distributions in the waters of the Amundsen and Ross Seas, Antarctica

► Halocarbon distributions in the Amundsen and Ross Seas were mainly governed by sea ice. ► High salinity shelf water in the Ross Sea retained a biogenic halocarbon signal. ► Sea ice was shown to be a major contributor to atmospheric halogens. ► Air-sea halocarbon saturation anomalies varied considerably on short time scales.