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CLIMATE CHANGE

Changes in the Southern Ocean

Nature Geoscience volume 13, pages 4–5 (2020)Cite this article

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Strengthening and poleward movement of the Southern Westerlies, and increased melting of the Antarctic ice sheet play a primary role in changes observed in the Southern Ocean over the past few decades, according to measurements and modelling.

The Southern Ocean occupies less than one-third of the global ocean, but it absorbs 43% of the total oceanic anthropogenic CO2 and 75% of the heat1. Oceanic heat stored in the Southern Ocean is the main source of melting of the Antarctic ice sheet2. Changes in the Southern Ocean can therefore have global consequences, both in terms of global warming and sea-level rise. Observations in the Southern Ocean have shown rapid physical and biogeochemical changes in the past few decades. However, it is unclear what caused these changes as it is challenging to collect measurements from this remote part of the world and to model a region where ice, ocean and atmosphere interact with each other. Writing in Nature Geoscience, Bronselaer et al.3 present measurements from ships and floats and simulations with a state-of-the-art Earth system model to show that warming, deoxygenation, acidification, and increases in ocean carbon content and nutrients can be explained by two main processes: the poleward shift and intensification of westerly winds, and increased melting of the Antarctic ice sheet.

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Fig. 1: The Southern Ocean in a changing climate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

    Alessandro Silvano

  2. Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Alessandro Silvano

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  1. Alessandro Silvano
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Correspondence to Alessandro Silvano.

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Silvano, A. Changes in the Southern Ocean. Nat. Geosci. 13, 4–5 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0516-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0516-2

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