A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has revealed a significant shift in the Southern Ocean’s surface conditions. This shift is marked by a rapid…
  • Remote sensing confirms a shift from long-term freshening to increasing surface salinity south of 50° S, beginning around 2015.
  • Denser surface waters are enhancing vertical mixing, allowing warmer subsurface water to reach the surface, accelerating Antarctic ice loss.
  • The shift in surface salinity and stratification could impact deep ocean water formation and disrupt components of the global thermohaline circulation, including the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).