Ross Sea

The Ross Sea is a deep embayment of the Southern Ocean along Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land. Its continental shelf, seasonal sea ice, and large ice shelves shape one of Earth’s most productive polar marine ecosystems.

Ross Ice Shelf: A vast floating ice shelf covering the southern part of the Ross Sea. Its floating front defines the sea’s southern boundary and influences circulation and habitat.
Antarctic Bottom Water: The cold, dense water mass that spreads from Antarctic continental margins into the deep ocean. The Ross Sea is a major source region for this globally circulating deep water.
Ross Sea Marine Protected Area: A large marine protected area established in the Ross Sea in 2016. It governs fishing and conservation across much of the sea’s ecosystem.
James Clark Ross: A British naval officer and polar explorer who led Antarctic expeditions in the nineteenth century. The Ross Sea is named after the explorer whose expedition reached it in 1841.
Ross Island: An island in the Ross Sea formed by volcanoes, including Mount Erebus. Its harbors and volcanic terrain anchor major research stations in the sea.
Ross Sea Polynya: A recurring area of open water and thin ice in the southern Ross Sea. Persistent winter openings help form dense water and support intense biological production.
High-salinity shelf water: Cold, saline water formed on Antarctic continental shelves through brine rejection during sea-ice formation. Its production in the Ross Sea helps drive dense-water export toward the deep ocean.
Ross Sea Region Marine Ecosystem: The interacting marine organisms and habitats of the Ross Sea region. Its food webs are a central focus of monitoring and conservation.
Ross expedition of 1839–1843: A British Antarctic expedition led by James Clark Ross aboard HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Its 1841 voyage charted the sea and the great ice barrier later called the Ross Ice Shelf.
Mount Erebus: An active volcano on Ross Island and the southernmost active volcano on Earth. Its persistent volcanic activity makes Ross Island a distinctive landmark within the sea.

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