Maps of Observational Coverage

Theme 2: Understanding and quantifying the state and variability of the Southern Ocean circulation

The below maps are representing the current observational coverage to address the SOOS Key Challenges for the SOOS Science Theme 2, understanding and quantifying the state and variability of Southern Ocean circulation. All SOOS Science Themes and Key Challenges are outlined in the SOOS 2021-2025 Science and Implementation Plan.

The geographic boundaries for the blocks in these maps are the sub-regions identified by each Regional Working Group to enable easier discussion and communication requirements, coverage and gaps for their region.

Key Challenge 2.1: Understand Southern Ocean heat, freshwater and carbon exchange and storage and effects on the global ocean. This includes:

• Production and export of Antarctic Bottom Water

• Upwelling of deep water

• Formation and subduction of Subantarctic Mode Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water

Key Challenge 2.2: Understand dynamical processes in the Southern Ocean and their likely changes in the future. This includes:

• Interior water mass transformation due to iso/diapycnal mixing

• Processes and forcing mediating upwelling/subduction from the mixed layer

• Role of mesoscale and submesoscale eddies in setting water mass properties and mediating the overturning circulation

• Stability of the upper ocean overturning circulation in response to changes in winds, increased ice melt and surface warming

• Response of the ocean circulation to atmospheric variability (wind, air-sea heat momentum and freshwater fluxes)

• Stability, variability and future trends in frontal positions

Key Challenge 2.3: Understand how climate change will alter surface fluxes and freshwater input from the cryosphere, and the impact of these changes on water mass properties, formation and circulation, and implications for heat and carbon

Theme 2: Understanding and quantifying the state and variability of the Southern Ocean circulation.

This map is the mean of the rankings across all challenges (above) within Theme 2.

Raw values for rankings in maps of observational coverage for Theme 2 is available here.