Recent studies show that Antarctica is losing ice, which is contributing to global sea level rise at a rate of approximately 0.3 mm yr 1 . The main cause of this ice loss is on-shelf intrusions of warm ocean water. This water flows into ice shelf cavities and causes melting, which thins the ice shelves. This leads to decreased buttressing, acceleration of ice flow, and grounded ice loss. The ice loss occurs unevenly around Antarctic with over 70% of the.g.rounded ice loss occurring in the

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... n Amundsen Sea sector. As such, oceanographic observations were frequently conducted in this sector over the past decade. These observations have provided a sufficient amount of data to help develop a reliable ocean simulation that is able to simulate the current hydrographic conditions and past observations. This research focuses on the development of a reliable ocean model, as only by using reliable model outputs we are able to investigate the causes of the observed changes and sensitivity to climate variations. In this study, important physical processes governing ice shelf ocean interaction are explained including (1) the on-shelf intrusion of modified Circumpolar Deep Water, (2) oceanographic processes at an ice shelf interface, and (3) spreading and outflow of glacial meltwater. Additionally, we will present our model development, including model-data evaluation and development of ocean state estimates.