Hydrographic conditions around Elephant Island during austral spring 1994

Based on a data set sampled during November/December 1994 in the Elephant Island Plateau Region by RV POLARSTERN, a water mass analysis is performed which reveals the approximate location of the Weddell-Scotia Confluence. Vertical distribution of oceanographic parameters temperature, salinity and density is discussed. Geopotential anomaly charts, referenced to different pressure levels outline the genera! flow as given by the geostrophic part of the circulation. Compared to American field observations during January 1994, and to historic data, the spring 1994 data indicate that 1994 spring was colder than in previous years in the Elephant Island Plateau Region. Since the data base available to the author is very much limited to answer questions on year-to-year changes, or even on climatic time scales, it is recommended to do a cooperative analysis of data sampled throughout the years in the Elephant Island Plateau Region