Weddell Sea [key], arm of the Atlantic Ocean, W Antarctica, SE of South America, bordered by the Antarctic Peninsula and Coats Land. The vast Ronne and Filchner ice shelves are at the head of the sea. Named for James Weddell, a British navigator who claimed to have discovered the sea in 1823, it was investigated by the Scottish explorer William Bruce from 1902 to 1904. It was studied fully during the International Geophysical Year (1957–58) and has since been a site of continuing investigation.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Antarctic Physical Geography
