Satellite data reveal Southern Ocean vertical currents diving 3,000 feet below surface
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- New research using satellite data and underwater gliders reveals that vertical ocean currents in the Southern Ocean are more intense and deeper-reaching than previously understood, extending at least 1,000 meters deep and moving water at speeds over 100 meters per day.
- These vertical currents, driven by ocean eddies, act like deep-sea elevators, transporting heat and carbon downward while bringing nutrients and gases to the surface, playing a critical role in global ocean circulation.
- The study, conducted near Australia within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, combined data from the SWOT satellite and autonomous gliders to measure water movement and improve ocean models.
- Understanding these vertical flows enhances predictions of how much heat and carbon the oceans absorb, aiding climate change projections by better capturing oceanic heat and carbon transport over time.
- Researchers aim to extend this approach to the entire Southern Ocean to improve global climate models and tracer flux estimates in the future.