Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 30, 2012 at 12:57pm

Great video!

Will check out that other link too.

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on September 10, 2012 at 12:04am

These incredible videos give a strange and erie feeling as water swirls and ebbs and flows around the globe creating eddies and beautiful fractals patterns. I wonder, if the water rises over the Panama Canal how the patterns would change? How will temperature change patterns? Oh! so fascinating. Thanks Ruth.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on January 11, 2013 at 4:04pm

New research indicates that the part of the global conveyor belt in the Southern Ocean is essential for worldwide ocean health.

Southern Ocean winds and buoyancy fluxes — which determine the density of ocean surfaces — are the principal source of energy for driving the critical large-scale, deep overturning circulation that occurs throughout the ocean. Vertical exchanges in the Southern Ocean are responsible for supplying nutrients that fertilize three-quarters of the biological production in the global ocean north of 30°S.

"About 75 percent of biological production north of 30°S is due to this up-flow of nutrients," said Sarmiento. "That's really exceptional."

 

In other words, most of the organic matter filtered through the global ocean would be lost forever if the Southern Ocean wasn't pumping it back up north. Without this force, Sarmiento says the Earth's oceans would essentially die in 30 years.

 

Little is known about how the Southern Ocean's pump system works. Even less is known about how to use it for predicting climate change. [emphasis mine]

Video feature: Study of Southern Ocean critical to understanding of...