Thursday August 1, 2024
PhysOrg —
The Southern Ocean is important for the Earth’s climate system, particularly in absorbing excess heat and carbon from the atmosphere. However, its intricate dynamics remain poorly understood, hindering accurate climate impact predictions.
Recent technological advancements and improved data collection are transforming scientists’ knowledge about the Southern Ocean dynamic system. With global oceans undergoing unprecedented changes due to rising temperatures, understanding these transformations is crucial for predicting potential climate impacts.
A new paper, “Closing the loops on Southern Ocean dynamics: From the circumpolar current to ice shelves and from bottom mixing to surface waves,” published in Reviews of Geophysics, reveals how a community of multidisciplinary climate scientists has integrated previously isolated research areas.
Co-authored by more than 30 Australian and New Zealand climate science experts, the paper explores the Southern Ocean’s climate dynamics, emphasizing the crucial role of sea ice and ice shelves in large-scale ocean circulation and global mixing.