For the first time, scientists are set to explore Antarctica’s mysterious turbidity currents – powerful underwater avalanches – with the aim of understanding their impact on Earth's climate.
The Antarctic Canyon Experiment (ACE) will deploy cutting-edge technology to investigate these deep-ocean flows in the Southern Ocean.
Researchers hope to unravel their causes and effects, shedding light on Antarctica’s critical role as one of the planet’s largest carbon sinks, which currently absorbs around 40% of human-generated carbon in the ocean.
The project will also delve into how this carbon storage capacity has evolved over time, particularly during past periods of global warming, and how it might be influenced by ongoing and future climate change.
“Turbidity currents are natural hazards capable of transporting enormous amounts of sediment across thousands of kilometres,” explains study lead Dr Jenny Gales, Associate Professor in Hydrography and Ocean Exploration at the University of Plymouth.
“While they can disrupt infrastructure like undersea internet cables, they play a vital role in the global carbon cycle. However, their exact impact remains poorly understood.
“Through this project, we aim to provide the first detailed insights into how these currents operate around Antarctica. Given its outsized influence on the global climate, this information will be crucial for predicting future scenarios if climate change continues unchecked.”
Over five years, the international team of scientists will conduct research cruises to deploy underwater monitoring systems in Antarctic canyons for year-long observations. They also plan to use autonomous underwater vehicles.
Specialised sediment traps will be lowered to the ocean floor to collect material samples directly from turbidity currents. These samples will provide valuable data on the organic carbon and other substances transported by these underwater flows.
This pioneering research is expected to transform our understanding of how high-latitude turbidity currents influence the global carbon cycle. The researchers say the findings will enhance climate models and inform future climate mitigation policies, marking a significant step towards addressing the challenges of a warming world.
Main image: turbulent ocean/Getty
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