An unprecedented reversal of the Southern Hemisphere’s ocean circulation (SMOC) has been detected since 2016 through increased surface salinity between the polar and subpolar gyres.
Deep water is upwelling to the surface instead of sinking, bringing heat and centuries-old stored carbon dioxide to the surface.
The upwelling of warm, CO₂-rich water is accelerating sea ice melting and could potentially double current atmospheric CO₂ levels.
A new satellite data processor developed by the Barcelona Expert Center enabled high-quality surface salinity observations in the challenging Southern Ocean environment.
This discovery underscores the Southern Ocean’s critical role in global climate regulation and may impact other circulation systems such as the North Atlantic’s AMOC.],
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en
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Southern Ocean Circulation Reversal
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