The ocean is mainly driven by wind stress, but simultaneous observations show that the gain of momentum flux by the ocean can be larger than the wind stress due to the influence of ocean waves.
ocean circulation
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Alkalinity Trap at the Bottom of the World
Tiny microorganisms in the Southern Ocean affect the way the rest of the world’s seas respond to carbon dioxide.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
El Zooplancton Gelatinoso Transfiere Una Cantidad Significativa de Carbono a las Profundidades del Océano
Un nuevo estudio muestra que las medusas y las salpas marinas no reciben el crédito que merecen por su papel en el ciclo del carbono en el océano.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A New Way to Fingerprint Drivers of Water Cycle Change
Simulations of tropical ocean convection help distinguish climate effects resulting from large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation from those resulting from higher temperatures.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Jellies Transfer a Significant Amount of Carbon to the Deep Ocean
Jellyfish and sea salps aren’t getting the credit they deserve for their role in ocean carbon cycling, according to a new study.
Posted inNews
Below the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: More Garbage
New research is finding there’s more to marine debris than just what appears near the ocean surface, including tons of microplastics extending hundreds of meters into the deep.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Models Give Global Picture of Mercury Content in Oceans
Concentrations of methylated mercury in high latitudes show the importance of sunlight and biological activity for cycling the metal.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Larger Role for Shallow Intermediate Waters in Ocean Circulation
Water masses formed off southeastern Greenland may contribute more than previously thought to the variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, which strongly influences global climate.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Oceanic Mixing Influences Development of ENSO Cycle
Changes in oceanic turbulence act to regulate the sea surface temperature during the evolution of the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle.
Posted inNews
Plankton Biodiversity Mapped Globally
A team of scientists sailed around the world to catalog the diversity of plankton species in the ocean. Their findings have important economic implications as climate warms.