What is it about?
This research uncovers the crucial role of seamounts, underwater mountains, in influencing deep-ocean circulation. Seamounts stir and mix deep waters by generating waves and vortices, particularly in low-latitude regions. This study employs realistic simulations and identifies key parameters affecting mixing rates around seamounts. Applying these findings to a global seamount dataset, the research demonstrates that seamount-generated mixing significantly contributes to the upwelling of deep waters. This finding challenges previous understanding and emphasizes the need to incorporate seamount effects in ocean circulation models.
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Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
Why is it important?
By shedding light on this previously overlooked aspect, the study paves the way for more accurate representations of ocean dynamics and ultimately advances our comprehension of Earth’s complex climate system.
Perspectives
The intense turbulence around seamounts makes them a major contributor to ocean mixing at a global scale, but we don’t have that process represented in climate models. To know how the ocean is adjusting to climate change, we must have a realistic representation of deep ocean circulation. We’re now a step closer to that.
Ali Mashayek
University of Cambridge
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: On the role of seamounts in upwelling deep-ocean waters through turbulent mixing, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322163121.
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