A team of international oceanographers has discovered a previously unknown deep-sea current in the Southern Hemisphere that could significantly impact global climate models. The current, flowing along the ocean floor near the Indian and Southern Oceans, carries massive volumes of cold, dense water and plays a key role in regulating Earth’s temperature.
Using advanced underwater sensors and satellite data, researchers found that this deep current interacts with surface currents and atmospheric systems more directly than previously thought. “This discovery changes how we understand the global conveyor belt of ocean circulation,” said Dr. Lian Zhou, lead scientist on the project. The findings were published this week in Nature Climate Science.
Experts believe this new current could influence how heat and carbon are distributed across the planet, potentially affecting seasonal weather patterns and long-term climate forecasts. Climate scientists are now working to integrate this data into predictive models, which could lead to more accurate projections of global warming and its effects on sea levels and ecosystems.
