The
Antarctic bottom water (AABW) is a type of
water mass in the
Southern Ocean surrounding
Antarctica with temperatures ranging from -0.8 to 2 °C (31 °F),
salinities from 34.6 to 34.7
psu. Being the densest water mass of the World Ocean, AABW is found to occupy the depth range below 4000 m of all ocean basins that have a connection to the Southern Ocean at that level. The major significance of Antarctic bottom water is that it is the coldest bottom water, giving it a significant influence on the movement of the world's oceans. Antarctic bottom water also has a high oxygen content relative to the rest of the oceans' deep waters. This is due to the oxidation of deteriorating organic content in the rest of the deep oceans. Antarctic bottom water has thus been considered the
ventilation of the deep ocean.