ocean” width=”230″ height=”300″ class=”size-full wp-image-4104″/>Autonomous profiling float deployed in the ocean (image credit: University of Southampton).
### Enhancing Oceanic Knowledge through Innovative Research
A significant initiative, backed by £2.5 million and spearheaded by the University of Southampton in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), aims to deepen our understanding of the ocean’s dynamic processes, particularly its role in heat and greenhouse gas absorption from the atmosphere.
### Understanding Ocean Ventilation
Ocean researchers are set to deploy advanced sensors on state-of-the-art autonomous floats that will provide valuable insights into how oceans ‘breathe’ through complex mixing patterns. This intricate process involves fine-scale turbulent movement that transports water, heat, and various chemicals from the surface downwards into deeper layers of the sea.
Such ventilation is fundamental for maintaining global climate stability and serves as a buffer against climate change driven by human activities.
### The Role of Mixing in Climate Regulation
Mixing is critical not only for climatic regulation but also influences major ocean current systems including key circulatory patterns like Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Dr. Bieito Fernandez Castro, leading this pioneering research, emphasizes, “Small-scale mixing significantly impacts how oceans exchange carbon and heat with their atmosphere while sequestering them at depth.”
Despite its importance, many facets of this pivotal process remain poorly understood; hence there exists considerable uncertainty within current estimates. These minute interactions occur over dimensions ranging from centimeters to kilometers—making direct measurement a challenge—and leading to inadequacies within existing oceanic and climate models.
### Funding for Groundbreaking Exploration
The REMIX-TUNE project has received substantial funding amounting to £2.5 million from the European Research Council for deploying an innovative series of autonomous floats across vital regions known for deep-water formation—the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean—where substantial quantities of heat and carbon are stored beneath water surfaces.
These sophisticated floats are equipped with turbulence sensors complemented by advanced onboard computing capabilities. They will traverse vertical profiles extending up to 2,000 meters deep over several years while collecting invaluable data regarding both mesoscale (larger whirlpools) and microscale (smaller chaotic movements) mixing phenomena throughout their journey.
Dr. Fernandez Castro shares enthusiasm about this advancement: “Historically utilized since 2000s for measuring temperature along with salinity levels among other metrics essential for predictive modeling, these profiling floats have never had mixing measurement capabilities—until now.”
### A Comprehensive Database Collection
The information gathered during this project will create an unprecedented global observational database focused on quantifying how mixing influences ocean ventilation dynamics.
This comprehensive understanding will significantly enhance future generations of coupled-ocean-climate models thereby elevating their potential to accurately simulate how oceans act as reservoirs for greenhouse gases alongside trapping excess heat.
### Incorporating Historical Data into Models
Dr. Alex Megann from NOC underscores an exciting aspect: “By integrating our freshly obtained data with historical hydrographic profiles produced via initiatives like Argo over a span extending back 25 years across global waters allows us unparalleled accuracy regarding past mixing estimations.”
He elaborates on utilizing contemporary digital tools such as NEMO—the UK’s contribution towards IPCC’s goals—to refine these findings further providing insightful clarity regarding how essential marine ventilation aids in regulating terrestrial climate levels effectively.