Sunday, 3 March 2013

Tagged seals help find missing piece in global climate puzzle


Researchers pinpoint fourth known source of bottom water, a crucial oceanic heat-sink.
24 February 2013
MARTIN BIUW

By tracking the voyages of elephant seals off Antarctica, and with the help of satellite imaging and undersea sensors, researchers have discovered a long-elusive source for the deep-ocean streams of cold water that help to regulate the Earth's climate.

Antarctic bottom water (AABW) is cold, highly saline water that forms near the shores of Antarctica. Being denser than typical seawater, it sinks to the depths and then moves north in sluggish currents that spread across the globe.

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