It is a well established fact that oceans play a pivotal role in global warming, with its huge surface layers absorbing a large quantity of heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Thus, a never-before-seen ocean current eddy has thrown scientists to rethink their existing ocean circulation simulation models. It is found to sweep around Antarctica. What draws scientists’ attention is the thought that — how would this new finding affect the existing climate change models.
Though, the storms are found to be notorious in the Scotia Sea, the scientists are surprised by the storms layers’ violent twisting underneath. But, what allows this to happen? The scientists think it to be the work of the sea bed’s rough topography.
The new current’s discovery leads scientists zoom on the Antarctic circumpolar current. This current is vital in respect to global warming, as it picks up and cools water descending in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans from warmer latitudes.
So, to trace the current, the scientists plan to use a ‘natural helium plume’ that is burped out from a submarine volcano located in the East Pacific.
Interestingly, they found that the current is mixed ‘extraordinarily’ in the Southwestern Atlantic at the Scotia Sea, a triangular-shaped area between Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic peninsula.
Once, this surprising current is understood better, scientists will be able to get an idea about the swiftness at which the surface warmth will start heating up lower levels.
Not just that! Getting into details of this finding will help scientists understand if the algae-absorbed carbon dioxide is sequestered at the ocean bottom or is churned back up to the surface.
Photo: polarmet.mps.ohio-state.edu