Unknown currents in Southern Ocean have been observed with help of seals


Date:
June 26, 2020
Source:
University of Gothenburg
Summary:
Using state-of-the-art ocean robots and scientific sensors attached
to seals, researchers have for the first time observed small and
energetic ocean currents in the Southern Ocean. The currents are
critical at controlling the amount of heat and carbon moving between
the ocean and the atmosphere -- information vital for understanding
our global climate and how it may change in the future.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Using state-of-the-art ocean robots and scientific sensors attached to
seals, researchers in Marine Sciences at the University of Gothenburg
have for the first time observed small and energetic ocean currents in
the Southern Ocean.

The currents are critical at controlling the amount of heat and carbon
moving between the ocean and the atmosphere -- information vital for understanding our global climate and how it may change in the future.


==========================================================================
Two new studies, one led by Associate Professor Sebastiaan Swart and
the other led by Dr Louise Biddle, both working at the University of Gothenburg, use highly novel techniques to collect rare data in the
ocean both under and near the sea ice surrounding Antarctica.

Ocean currents have significant effect These papers present for the first
time upper ocean currents of approximately 0.1-10 km in size. These
currents, which are invisible to satellite and ship- based data, are
seen to interact with strong Southern Ocean storms and with physical
processes occurring under sea ice.

"Using the data collected by the seals, we're able to look at the impact
these upper ocean currents have underneath the sea ice for the first
time. It's a really valuable insight into what was previously completely unknown in the Southern Ocean," says Dr Louise Biddle, Department of
Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg.

The winter had assumed to be a "quiet" time due to the dampening effect of
sea ice on the ocean's surface. However, the two studies show that these
upper ocean currents have a significant effect on the ocean during winter.

Unprecedented high-resolution measurements Some of the findings by
Sebastiaan Swart and his team gives further insight how these observed
ocean currents work. Their study highlights that during times when there
are no storms and winds are weak, upper ocean currents start to become
much more energetic. This energy enhances the rate of ocean mixing and transport of properties, like heat, carbon and nutrients, around the
ocean and into the deep ocean.

"These new ocean robots, so-called gliders, which we control by
satellite for months at a time, have allowed us to measure the ocean
at unprecedented high resolution. The measurements have revealed strong physical linkages between the atmosphere and ocean. It's pretty amazing
we can remotely 'steer' these robots in the most far-flung parts of the
world -- the ocean around Antarctica - - while collecting new science
data," says Associate Professor Sebastiaan Swart, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg.

Fill a critical knowledge gap Together, these studies contribute to
improving our understanding of small- scale ocean and climate processes
that have impacts globally. These kinds of observations are a critical knowledge gap in the ocean that has an impact on various processes
occurring at global scale, such as ecosystems and climate.

"We are excited to grow this research capability at the University of Gothenburg. This is really a world-leading direction we should be taking
to collect part of our data in marine sciences," says Sebastiaan Swart.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Gothenburg. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal References:
1. Sebastiaan Swart, Marcel D. Plessis, Andrew F. Thompson, Louise C.

Biddle, Isabelle Giddy, Torsten Linders, Martin Mohrmann,
Sarah‐Anne Nicholson. Submesoscale Fronts in the Antarctic
Marginal Ice Zone and Their Response to Wind Forcing. Geophysical
Research Letters, 2020; 47 (6) DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086649
2. L. C. Biddle, S. Swart. The Observed Seasonal Cycle of Submesoscale
Processes in the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone. Journal of Geophysical
Research: Oceans, 2020; 125 (6) DOI: 10.1029/2019JC015587 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200626114754.htm

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