Stanford Scientists Solve the Mystery of Antarctica’s Cooling Waters

Researchers at Stanford University have identified that the cooling of surface waters in the Southern Ocean, contrary to climate model predictions of warming, is largely due to freshwater from melting ice sheets, SciTech Daily reported. Their study reveals that this influx accounts for 60% of the discrepancy between observed and predicted ocean temperatures around Antarctica since 1990.

The cooling trend is a response to global warming, which accelerates ice sheet melting and increases local precipitation, making the surface layer less salty and less dense. This limits the mixing of warmer waters below. Current climate models often overlook these factors, leading to significant uncertainties in projections of future sea level rise and climate impacts.

The researchers discovered that freshwater concentrated near the Antarctic coast has a greater effect on sea ice formation and seasonal cycles than previously thought. Their findings, based on simulations from the Southern Ocean Freshwater Input from Antarctica Initiative, highlight the importance of accounting for meltwater in climate models to improve predictions of ocean dynamics and global climate changes.