Present-day ocean simulations of the circumpolar Antarctic

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is rapidly losing mass due to ocean-driven melt of its ice shelves, contributing to sea level rise. This melt is associated with the intrusion of circumpolar deep water onto the continental shelf which is impacted by winds, the Amundsen undercurrent, thermodynamic processes, and buoyancy forcing. To study the sensitivity of melt to changes in these components, model configurations need to represent key processes while reducing computational cost to allow for large ensemble simulations. Regional ocean simulations have proven useful in this context, however, configurations that allow interactions between Antarctic regions would be beneficial. We will present results from present-day ocean simulations with a  ¼° circumpolar Antarctic NEMO configuration including sea ice, icebergs, and ice shelf cavities, and up-to-date forcing and bathymetry datasets. We will also discuss challenges associated with open boundary conditions and sensitivity to different forcing datasets. This configuration will provide a platform for attribution studies of ocean-driven melt of the WAIS, ocean projections, and form the starting point for coupled ocean-ice sheet simulations.