Amundsen Sea

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/amundsen-sea

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location?Marginal sea of the Southern Ocean, bordering Marie Byrd Land, western Antarctica
2. What is the scientific name?Amundsen Sea
3. Where is the Amundsen Sea located?It lies along the coast of Marie Byrd Land in western Antarctica, between Cape Flying Fish and Cape Dart.
4. Why do scientists study the Amundsen Sea?Because it drains ice from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, showing how ice moves and how the sea level might change.

Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW): A layer of relatively warm, salty ocean water that flows around Antarctica.
Grounding Line: The point where a glacier or ice sheet transitions from resting on bedrock to floating on the ocean.
Marine Ice Sheet Instability: A process where ice sheets grounded below sea level can rapidly retreat due to ocean warming.
Outlet Glacier: A glacier that flows out from an ice sheet or ice cap, often rapidly.