From the EO
December 2024
Welcome to the latest edition of SOOS Update in a completely fresh layout! We are excited to introduce several new features and team members in this issue. Check out our new SOOS Acknowledged Papers section, highlighting groundbreaking research in Southern Ocean science. We also welcome Andrew Meijers as the new SOOS Vice Chair and Michaela Miller stepping up as our new Data Officer. Dive in to learn more about these updates and much more!
1st SOOS Symposium Special Issue Paper
The first publication in the SOOS Symposium Special Issue in now available. "The Case for a Framework for UnderStanding Ice-Ocean iNteractions (FUSION) in the Antarctic-Southern Ocean System" by McCormack et al., introduces a novel approach to studying Antarctic ice loss and its global impact, combining observations and models to fill critical knowledge gaps. Find the full paper here...
The SOOS Symposium Special Issue, "Understanding the Trajectory and Implication of a Changing Southern Ocean: The Need for an Integrated Observing System," hosted by ‘Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene,’ is still accepting submissions until December 31, 2024. The University of California offers discounts and waivers to support all contributors. Don't miss this opportunity to share your research with the global community! Submit your article here...
Call for Community Feedback: Maps of Observational Coverage
SOOS Regional Working Groups have developed draft maps of current observational coverage addressing key science challenges in the Southern Ocean. Your insights are crucial to ensure these maps accurately reflect all collected observations. Help us refine these tools to better serve the scientific community. Please provide your feedback here...
Join SOOS on Bluesky
Stay connected with the Southern Ocean community on Bluesky! Follow us at @soosocean.bsky.social for updates, discussions, and all things Southern Ocean. Join the conversation and be part of our vibrant community.
SOOSMap GitHub
The public GitHub repository for SOOSMap had recently been launched! Dive into the code, discover tools for preliminary data analysis, and share your feedback. Join us in shaping the future of SOOSmap and contribute to this collaborative effort. Explore here...
New SOOS Leadership
We are excited to welcome many new SOOS Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) members and leadership team members of our SOOS working groups. We welcome Andrew Meijers as a new Vice Chair of SOOS and member of the SOOS Executive Committee; Jianfang Chen and Keyhong Park to the SSC; Alessandro Silvano and Xianwei Wang to the leadership team of the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Sector (ABS) Regional Working Group (RWG); and Anoop Mahajan to the Southern Ocean Indian Sector (SOIS) RWG, Carlos Moffat as the new West Antarctic Peninsula/Scotia Arc (WAPSA) RWG Co-chair, as well as Heather Forrer, Mireia Mestre, Elisa Seyboth and Jennifer Allen to the WAPSA RWG leadership team. Last but not least, we welcome Hugo Guímaro as the new APECS early career representative on the Censusing Animal Populations from Space (CAPS) Capability Working Group (CWG). We congratulate everyone to their new positions!
Join the Southern Ocean Acidification Hub
SOOS and the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) are excited to share the launch of a new joint working group, the Southern Ocean collaborative hub on Ocean Acidification (SO-OA Hub). The hybrid launch workshop took place in Hobart at the Australian Antarctic Research Conference and online during GOA-ON's #OAWeek2024. This initiative aims to address the pressing issue of ocean acidification in the Southern Ocean through collaborative research and action. Get all the details, watch the recording, and join the working group here... The hub is also calling for inaugural leadership team members to steer hub activities and action, for details on the position and how to nominate, see here...
SOOS at COP29
SOOS had a strong presence at the recent COP29, the 29th UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan including presentations and panel representation in sea ice and polar ocean side events held in the Cryosphere and Ocean Pavilions. To learn more on SOOS' activities at COP29 and where to view the recordings of these events, see here...
MEASO Special Issue Completed
The special research topic in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, "Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean (MEASO): Meeting the Challenge for Conserving Earth Ecosystems in the Long Term," is now complete. This issue highlights the critical importance of Southern Ocean ecosystems and the global effort required to safeguard them. Find all articles here...
BAMS State of the Climate 2023
The 2023 BAMS State of the Climate report has been published. Chapter 6.g, 'The Southern Ocean,' authored by SOOS SSC member Luciano Pezzi and others, details warming trends linked to El Niño, with significant impacts on sea-surface temperature, ocean heat content, and biogeochemical shifts. This comprehensive report provides valuable insights into the current state of the Southern Ocean. Find the report here...
Southern Ocean Sessions at EGU 2025
The EGU General Assembly 2025 will take place in Vienna from April 27 to May 2, 2025. The event will feature several Southern Ocean relevant sessions in a hybrid format. The call for abstracts closes on January 15, 2025, at 13:00 CET. Don't miss this chance to present your research to a global audience! More information here...
Influence of Iron & Manganese on Southern Ocean Ecosystems
A new £4 million NERC-funded research project, "Iron and Manganese Impacts on the Future of Southern Ocean Ecosystems (Iron-Man)," endorsed by SOOS, aims to improve climate change predictions by addressing gaps in current models related to these essential nutrients. This project represents a significant step forward in our understanding of Southern Ocean ecosystems. Read the press release here...
Fostering Inclusion in Polar Leadership
The APECS DEI Project Group, SCAR’s EDI Action Group, and Thrive Lifeline hosted workshops to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in polar science leadership. These sessions are now accessible to the wider community, providing valuable resources for fostering inclusive leadership. Find the resources here...
SOOS Acknowledged Papers
Acknowledging the contribution of SOOS to projects and the use of SOOSmap to source data is important for SOOS to show impact to our sponsors and governing bodies. We thank everyone, who contributed in this way to support our efforts! As the importance cannot be stressed enough, in every issue of SOOS Update we will now feature papers, who acknowledged SOOS. Are you planning to submit a paper as well, have a look here on how you can acknowledge SOOS. This issue we cover the following papers:
- Closing the Loops on Southern Ocean Dynamics New research on Southern Ocean dynamics emphasizes the importance of community building in advancing climate science. The overview by Bennetts et al. connects different components of the Southern Ocean dynamic system, aiming to close remaining loops in our understanding. Read the paper here...
- A Call to Strengthen International Collaboration A paper by APECS members in PLOS Climate highlights the need for a globally coordinated response to climate change effects in polar regions. It stresses the importance of synergies from existing initiatives like SOOS to ensure activities align and contribute toward common goals. Read the paper here...
Please note the SOOS International Project Office will be operating at a reduced capacity between now and the 13th January, and will be completely closed from 20th December to 6th January. We wish everyone a happy holiday season, and for those in the field, a safe and productive field season.
Enjoy this edition of SOOS Update and thank you for your continued support of SOOS!
Alyce Hancock
SOOS Executive Officer
