Photograph: EKE
The increasing energy in ocean eddies could affect the ability of the Southern Ocean, one of the world’s biggest natural carbon stores, to absorb CO2. There are also changes in the southern Atlantic and the East Australian Current. Eddies are like weather events in the oceans happening from the surface down to a depth of several hundreds meters. They play a critical role in moving heat, carbon and nutrients through the ocean and regulating regional and global climate. On top of absorbing about 90% of global heating since the 1970s, the ocean has pulled in about 40% of the extra CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. No one knows why eddy energy is increasing, but it’s certainly worth watching.
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/23/changes-to-giant-ocean-eddies-could-have-devastating-effects-globally