Articles tagged with Ocean Currents
A new study led by UCL researchers found that the Gulf Stream was stronger during the last ice age due to more powerful winds across the subtropical North Atlantic. If climate change causes a reduction in these winds, the Gulf Stream could weaken, potentially cooling Europe and causing higher sea levels in North America.
Researchers discovered that Desertas Petrels follow hurricanes to take advantage of enhanced foraging conditions, where prey accumulates closer to the surface. The birds reduce their flight time and avoid injury by using the storm's wakes as a wind tunnel, providing them with an easy meal.
Researchers discovered adaptations in metabolism and swimming abilities that enable fish to survive extreme temperatures in the Arabian Gulf. The study challenges prevailing views on the 'shrinking of fishes phenomenon' and proposes a new theory on energy balance and survival.
Researchers at University of Cambridge discovered that underwater turbulence around seamounts significantly influences ocean mixing, contributing to a third of global ocean mixing. This finding has implications for climate models used in policymaking, potentially improving forecasts of the ocean's response to global warming.
Researchers used simulations to model the erosion of Titan's shorelines, finding that waves are the most likely explanation for the moon's lakes and seas. The team found that wave activity could have shaped the coastlines of lakes and seas on Titan.
Researchers analyzed NASA satellite images of Jupiter's cyclones and found that storms are fueled by processes similar to those on Earth. Fronts in the space between cyclones also contribute to energy transport, sustaining giant storms.
Five global projects will advance understanding of ocean systems in a changing climate through improved data and modeling. The Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute will refine ocean carbon cycling and ecosystem resilience research.
Researchers found that sharks adapted by elongating their pectoral fins in response to warmer ocean temperatures, making movements more efficient. This evolution allowed them to thrive in the open ocean despite extreme heat.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have tracked the evolution of glaciers in East Antarctica using hundreds of old aerial photographs dating back to 1937. The study reveals that the ice has remained stable and grown slightly over almost a century, partly due to increasing snowfall.
A Texas A&M-led team has created the first global map of seafloor biodiversity activity, uncovering key environmental factors that drive burrowing animals' activities and ecosystem health. The research highlights the critical role these animals play in regulating carbon, nutrient, and biogeochemical cycles.
Researchers confirm Atlantic cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) has made a novel migration to Bermuda, using citizen science and morphological/data analysis. The species likely resides in Bermuda for extended periods due to the islands' mild sea temperatures.
Researchers at the University of Bonn improved 3D ocean circulation models using supercomputing resources to analyze ocean tide changes and their impact on coastal regions. The study found that a warming ocean surface enhances baroclinic tides, leading to significant energy transfer.
Research in the Alaskan-Aleutian subduction zone found evidence of splay fault uplift generating additional tsunami activity in half of last eight earthquakes. Splay faults can create local tsunamis reaching shores in under 30 minutes, exacerbating coastal destruction.
A study led by NYU Tandon School of Engineering and University of Rome Tor Vergata reveals the Venus flower basket sponge's ability to filter feed using only faint ambient currents, no pumping required. This discovery could help design more efficient chemical reactors, air purification systems, and hydraulic systems.
Researchers found that weaker ocean currents during the Younger Dryas period led to a decline in nutrient availability, resulting in decreased biological productivity in the North Atlantic. This study supports predictions about the impact of climate change on ocean circulation and life.
The study reveals that coral reefs are suffering from widespread bleaching and deaths, with the highest temperatures recorded in 175 countries. The researchers found that heat transport from the tropics to the polar regions has accelerated, causing sea surface temperature increases and exacerbating global warming feedbacks.
Research reveals that tiny plant-like organisms are transported to deeper depths by ocean currents, affecting carbon cycling and microbial dynamics. This process challenges conventional understanding of carbon transport in the ocean.
A new study by scientists affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found that human activities account for a substantial amount of toxic thallium in the Baltic Sea. The research suggests that the amount of thallium could increase due to further anthropogenic or natural activities, posing a concern for marine life.
Researchers discovered the missing piece of the puzzle behind a rare polynya in Antarctica's Maud Rise, which formed in 2016-2017. The team found that complex interactions between wind, ocean currents, and geography led to the polynya's persistence.
Researchers have uncovered a feedback loop that may be accelerating the melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica, contributing to global sea level rise. The study suggests that as ice shelves melt, they produce more freshwater, which strengthens an underwater current carrying warm water towards the ice shelf.
A new study found that human-induced environmental changes around Antarctica are contributing to sea level rise in the North Atlantic. The research team analyzed two decades of oceanographic data and found a 12% weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation deep water limb.
Volunteers collected nearly nine tonnes of marine litter from beaches across the Seychelles between 2019 and 2023. The clean-ups, led by the University of Plymouth, demonstrate the potential of citizen science to address marine pollution challenges.
A new study reveals that meandering ocean currents and the ocean floor induce upwelling velocity, transporting warm water to shallower depths, contributing to rapid melting of Antarctic ice shelves. This process poses a significant threat to coastal communities worldwide due to rising global sea levels.
New study reveals high concentrations of small microplastics in surface water samples from the Southern Weddell Sea off Antarctica, surpassing previous studies. The research suggests ocean currents play a crucial role in pollution and highlights the need for further investigation into their impact.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current's flow speed has fluctuated significantly over the past 5.3 million years, with slower speeds during glacial periods and faster speeds during interglacials. This study provides valuable insights into the current's response to climate fluctuations and its impact on Antarctica's ice sheets.
A new study reveals the Antarctic Circumpolar Current's speedup is linked to Earth's temperature, slowing down during cold times and speeding up in warm ones. This suggests that today's speedup will continue as human-induced warming proceeds, potentially leading to ice loss and sea-level rise.
The 79° N-Glacier in Greenland has lost over 160 meters of thickness since 1998, with melt rates reaching 130 meters per year. The glacier's instability is attributed to warm ocean currents and atmospheric warming, threatening sea level rise.
New mathematical modelling reveals that the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation has a high degree of complexity, with switches between states potentially leading to major climate changes. The study warns against relying on early warning indicators, as minor transitions might escalate into more significant tipping points.
A new study reveals that marine heat waves disrupt the ocean food web in the northeast Pacific Ocean, shifting energy and impacting predators and prey. Gelatinous zooplankton thrive during heat waves, drawing energy out of the ecosystem and potentially affecting fish and marine mammals.
Scientists find that increased Asian aerosol emissions slow the AMOC's movements, reducing solar heating and cooling the Earth's climate. Reducing these emissions can help stabilize the AMOC, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
Researchers at Oxford University have discovered a network of ocean currents that scatter coral larvae between remote islands in the Seychelles. This 'coral superhighway' suggests that centrally located reefs may play a crucial role in linking distant islands, supporting regional reef resilience.
Scientists discovered a 2.4-million-year cycle linking Mars and Earth orbits to changes in deep-sea currents. This cycle affects global warming patterns, with increased solar radiation causing warmer climates and more vigorous ocean circulation.
A new study from North Carolina State University and Duke University found that wind plays a critical role in ocean currents in the equatorial Pacific. The research suggests that better simulating these processes is essential for creating more accurate models of global warming, which can help policymakers make informed decisions.
A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans has provided new insights into ocean circulation patterns around glaciers, which can enhance the accuracy of climate models. The research used GPS-tracked icebergs to track hourly changes in their position as they passed through Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord.
A new study finds that emergency atmospheric geoengineering would not be able to reverse changes to ocean currents, even with stratospheric aerosol injection. Gradual injections can maintain current temperatures and circulation patterns, but abrupt injections fail to restore critical ocean circulation patterns.
Researchers at Cornell University have devised a novel way to determine ocean temperatures of distant worlds based on the thickness of their ice shells. This technique can be used to enhance NASA's mission findings about Europa and Enceladus, two Jovian and Saturnian moons that could potentially support life.
A team from the Alfred Wegener Institute found that warm Atlantic water is melting Greenland's 79° North Glacier, causing it to grow thinner. The study used a high-resolution ocean model to simulate the circulation below the ice tongue, revealing that higher ocean temperatures in the Atlantic are chiefly determining the melting rates.
Scientists have found evidence of Dansgaard-Oeschger events during the penultimate glacial period, revealing a different frequency and interval between temperature peaks. The findings suggest that not all glacial periods are the same and provide insights into ocean circulation patterns and climate change mechanisms.
A new study reveals tiny plankton (0.02mm) make up majority of ocean plankton, playing critical role in ecosystem health and oxygen production. The research emphasizes the need to take these tiny organisms seriously and incorporate them into global ocean policy.
New research examines the causes of record-breaking ocean temperatures in 2023 and highlights the need to understand driving forces behind ocean warming. The study suggests that Earth's energy imbalance is a key driver of extreme ocean temperatures, with the Atlantic Ocean warming faster than other ocean basins.
A study reveals that sea otter reintroduction has slowed creekbank erosion by up to 90% and restored marsh stability despite rising sea levels and pollution. The researchers suggest that this phenomenon can have far-reaching benefits for ecosystems worldwide, overturning the traditional bottom-up paradigm of coastal geomorphology.
Researchers found that coastal trapped waves and tidal mixing control primary production in the tropical Angolan upwelling system. Productivity peaks occur seasonally, with strong fluctuations during austral winter.
Researchers found that compact, faster-moving storms are more susceptible to global warming's effects, while larger, slower-moving typhoons are more resilient. This discovery could lead to improved methods for projecting typhoon strength under warming conditions.
Scientists have found that deposits deep under the ocean floor reveal a way to measure ocean oxygen levels and their connections with carbon dioxide during the last ice age. This study could improve predictions of how oceans will respond to global warming.
A new study suggests that a cross-sectoral approach to marine protection can meet conservation targets at lower costs for all stakeholders involved. The approach minimizes the opportunity cost to each stakeholder simultaneously, resulting in more affordable protection of high seas biodiversity.
Scientists propose searching for depleted carbon dioxide in planetary atmospheres as a sign of liquid water and potentially life on other planets. A study suggests that low carbon abundance relative to neighboring planets could indicate habitability.
The 15th annual horizon scan highlights 15 key conservation issues, including declining invertebrate populations and altering marine ecosystems. The study emphasizes the need for continued innovation in sustainable energy technologies to address climate change.
Researchers propose that early Americans used a 'sea ice highway' to migrate into North America along the Pacific coastline, traveling on winter sea ice between 24,500-22,000 years ago and 16,400-14,800 years ago. This theory provides a new framework for understanding human migration without a land bridge or easy ocean travel.
A recent study by University of Queensland scientist Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg warns that record-breaking marine heatwaves will cause catastrophic mass coral bleaching worldwide. The research suggests that current marine heatwaves will likely lead to a global mass coral bleaching event over the next 12-24 months.
A new study reveals that zooplankton species in the Humboldt Current off Peru can attenuate the export of carbon to the deep sea by consuming sinking particles. This challenge the previously prevailing assumption of a uniformly efficient biological carbon pump in oxygen minimum zones.
A new study reveals that shipwrecks are providing a sanctuary for fish, corals, and other marine species in areas open to destructive bottom towed fishing. Marine life density is significantly higher within wreck sites than in control areas.
A study by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona found that all aquatic species in river mouths are contaminated with microplastics. Molluscs were the most affected, and nanoplastics posed a greater risk to aquatic organisms due to their ability to pass through cellular membranes.
A new study found that removing mangroves in New Zealand's estuaries actually increases mud build-up, as these coastal trees and shrubs trap sediment efficiently. This highlights the need for sustainable land use upstream to address the root cause of the issue, rather than focusing solely on mangrove removal.
A team of international scientists cautions that reliance on mechanical cleanup devices to address plastic pollution is ineffective and may even harm marine life. They argue that reducing plastic production and consumption is the most cost-effective way to prevent further pollution.
Researchers found a cooling of about 1°C in the southern Caribbean during the Little Ice Age, coinciding with droughts and lower rainfall in the Yucatan Peninsula. The study suggests that salt movement from the Caribbean to high northern latitudes plays a crucial role in regulating global climate.
Researchers used a well-tested climate model to depict changes in natural climate variability during the last peak glacial period. The study found that internal mechanisms, such as variations in salinity and temperature, drove the multi-centennial climate variability, resulting in fluctuations in sea ice extent and Greenland temperatures.
Chinese researchers are exploring advanced porous nanomaterials and technologies to reduce radionuclide discharge into the environment. These materials possess high specific surface area, abundant pore structures, exceptional stability, and design flexibility, making them promising candidates for radionuclide removal.
A long-term study compares data from two North Atlantic Current observation systems, revealing statistical connections and implications for regional temperature patterns. The findings suggest that a 25-year observational record provides a crucial foundation for future models of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
New study uses flume-tank experiments to observe changes in sediment deposits and current velocities, revealing insights into past ocean currents. The findings have huge application potential for understanding climate, pollution transport, and benthic ecology.
Researchers developed a precise historical reconstruction of the Red Sea circulation using fine-grained regional data. The new analysis reveals new characteristics of current circulation, temperature, salinity, and oceanic behavior, improving decision-making for megadevelopments like those in Saudi Arabia.