New observations highlight how abiotic and biotic processes influence the tiny oceanic particles.
ocean circulation
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tiny Turbulent Whirls Keep the Arctic Ocean Flowing
Centimeter-sized turbulence controls the rate at which the Arctic Ocean churns.
Posted inNews
Ocean Tunneling May Have Set Off an Ancient Pacific Cooldown
The ocean’s depths cooled off about 1.5 million years ago, and scientists think watery tunnels from the south may be to blame.
Posted inFeatures
Scrambling to Study Smoke on the Water
Timely action shows the impact of urban fires on freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
On the Origins of Subantarctic Mode Waters
A modeling study shows how warm subtropical waters and cold Antarctic waters combine to form an Indo-Pacific water mass that plays a key role in Earth’s climate.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Greenland’s Glacial Troughs Influence Ocean Circulation
Glacial troughs in Antarctica promote mixing of warm and cold water, affecting global climate. A new study explores whether the same is true in troughs along Greenland’s coastline.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Water Density Shifts Can Drive Rapid Changes in AMOC Strength
High-latitude variations in density, which appear to be driven by changes in atmospheric pressure, can propagate to midlatitudes and affect the current’s strength within just a year.
Posted inNews
Avalanches of Microplastics Carry Pollution into the Deep Sea
Scientists observed a once-theorized process ferrying microplastics into the deep ocean.
Posted inNews
Satellite Measurements Make Major Seafloor Map Improvements
Though ship-based sounding has mapped some areas of the ocean floor in higher resolution, researchers have used SWOT data to create a detailed new map of the seafloor, including thousands of previously undetected small seamounts.
Posted inNews
The North Atlantic Is Getting Saltier
The Atlantic is already the saltiest of Earth’s oceans, and parts of it are getting saltier. Winds and warming may be to blame.