Wilkinson Basin area water masses: a revisit with EOFs

The percentage of the water volume occupied by each of the five water masses is derived and expressed as a function of depth and CTD cast location. The means, standard deviations, and ranges of the water masses are extracted in the temperature-salinity-depth space. The origin and formation of the water masses is considered together with the controlling physical processes. The prevalent dynamics is related to the water mass structure and characteristics. It is shown that slope water arrives into the Wilkinson Basin area from the Northeast Channel.