The Southern Ocean is a major site of open-ocean deep convection. Using observational data and model simulations, it is found that surface waters have freshened since the 1950s and deep convection has weakened, and could cease, as a result of the freshening. This has implications for bottom-water formation, ocean heat and carbon storage.
- Casimir de Lavergne
- Jaime B. Palter
- Irina Marinov