Theory 05/Polar & Sea Ice/Antarctic bottom water
Bottom Water Is a Salinity Ratio
The claim
Antarctic bottom water formation is set by the ratio of brine rejection to meltwater input rather than by surface temperature.
01Mechanism
Dense water forms where salt rejection outweighs freshwater dilution; the ratio determines whether the shelf water is dense enough to sink.
02Prediction
Formation rate should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Formation tracking temperature would remove the salinity balance.