2009Sept1: “A map of the Southern Ocean’s salinity since 1979 shows a marked decrease – or freshening (shown in blue) – in certain parts of the Ross, Bellingshausen, Amundsen, and Weddell Seas. Modeling studies suggest that this could potentially cause a decrease in water density, which would result in reduced mixing with a deeper and warmer layer of water below, less heat flow upward to the surface, and greater opportunity for sea ice to grow. Increases in salinity are shown in red” (NASA).
Reference: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/antarctic_melting.html
Image Description: Credit: Jinlun Zhang/University of Washington. Image Location: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/antarctic_melting.html Image Permission: This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA.
Learn More at:
Sacramento State – Geology 130: Oceanography – Lecture Notes and Learning Objectives http://www.csus.edu/indiv/m/munnb/Oceanography/Lectures.html
MIT – Free OpenCourseWare – Evolution of Physical Oceanography textbook by Warren and Wunsch http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/resources/Wunsch/wunschtext.htm
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This post is tagged 2000s Climate Change Events, 21st Century and Climate Change, Antarctica and Climate Change, Oceans, Polar Regions and Climate Change
