Atmosphetic and oceanic climatological data are combined with the WOCE
S4 hydrographic section in the framework of a variational data assimi
lation scheme into a steady state model of the large scale circulation
. The reconstructred fields of buoyancy and 3D velocity are dynamicall
y balanced and provide qualitative and quantitative estimates of the c
irculation features in the region of the Amundsen and Bellinsgausen se
as.