Tagged seals help find missing piece in global climate puzzle

By tracking the voyages of elephant seals off Antarctica, and with the help of satellite imaging and undersea sensors, researchers have discovered a long-elusive source for the deep-ocean streams of cold water that help to regulate the Earth's climate.Antarctic bottom water (AABW) is cold, high...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Williams, GD
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ecite.utas.edu.au/88704
Description
Summary:By tracking the voyages of elephant seals off Antarctica, and with the help of satellite imaging and undersea sensors, researchers have discovered a long-elusive source for the deep-ocean streams of cold water that help to regulate the Earth's climate.Antarctic bottom water (AABW) is cold, highly saline water that forms near the shores of Antarctica. Being denser than typical seawater, it sinks to the depths and then moves north in sluggish currents that spread across the globe.