January 8, 2020

Antarctic study yields new information for climate change models

A UA-led team used robotic floats to collect data in the Southern Ocean.

Ocean Float Geoscientists use Argo float devices to measure temperature and other conditions on the open sea
Argo Data Management

A University of Arizona-led team is adding to climate change computer models with new data collected near Antarctica.

The researchers found ocean water in the region is getting warmer and more acidic. UA geoscientist Joellen Russell says the group measured the amount of carbon in the Southern Ocean. She notes one of eight molecules of carbon dioxide produced around the world finds its way into Southern Ocean waters, bringing increased temperatures to places like the American Southwest.

"Understanding how quickly they're going in and measuring it, and predicting how that will change in the future will help us figure out how hot it will get in Arizona," said Russell.

The study is the first to put current physical and chemical changes in the Southern Ocean into computer models predicting climate trends. The findings are being published in the science journal Nature Geoscience this week.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona