Recent measurements have confirmed that there has been a massive reduction in the amount of Antarctic Bottom Water, the cold dense water that drives global ocean currents and has a strong influence on climate.
Dr Rintoul, a Southern Ocean specialist at CSIRO and the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystem CRC, will speak about the findings from his latest voyage to Antarctica at the Australian Academy of Science’s 2012 annual symposium on 100 years of Antarctic Science at 2.15 pm today at the Shine Dome in Canberra.
Comparing measurements taken during the Australian Antarctic program’s 2012 Southern Ocean marine science voyage aboard the Aurora Australis, to historical data dating back to 1970, has shown a 60 per cent reduction in the volume of Antarctic Bottom Water.
The new measurements, which have not yet been published, suggest the densest waters in the world ocean are gradually disappearing and being replaced by less dense waters.
“It’s a clear signal to us that the oceans are responding rapidly to variations in climate in Polar Regions,” says Dr Rintoul,
“The sinking of dense water around Antarctica is part of a global pattern of ocean currents that has a strong influence on climate, so evidence that these waters are changing is important.”
“The Southern Ocean is particularly important because it stores more heat and carbon dioxide released by human activities than any other region, and so helps to slow the rate of climate change,” says Dr Rintoul.
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