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The Latest Breaking News from Southern Ocean

Tiny dips in sea level reveal flow of climate-regulating underwater waterfalls

Beneath the surface of the Southern Ocean, vast volumes of cold, dense water plunge off the Antarctic continental shelf, cascading down underwater cliffs to the ocean floor thousands of metres below. These hidden waterfalls are a key part of the global ocean’s overturning circulation – a vast conveyor belt of…

The Conversation

Southern elephant seals are adaptable – but they struggle when faced with both rapid climate change and human impacts

Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are an iconic species of the Southern Ocean. But with rapid environmental changes in their ocean home, the seals’ population range has been shifting.

The Conversation

Sand-sized fossils hold secrets to the history of climate change

Between 18,000 and 11,000 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere suddenly shot up. This caused rapid global warming, the mass melting of glaciers, and the end of the last ice age.

The Conversation

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Past climate change ‘shifts ocean currents and winds in Southern Ocean’

Analysis of global climate patterns from past 1.5 million years reveal links between ocean circulation and climate changes.

The Independent UK

Tasmania to remain Australia's Antarctic gateway

Tasmania will remain home to the nation's Antarctic icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, and gateway to the Southern Ocean following a $188 million deal.

AAP

Whales are recovering from near extinction, but industrial fishing around Antarctica competes for their sole food source

The Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica is the world’s largest feeding ground for baleen whales – species like humpbacks that filter tiny organisms from seawater for food. In the 20th century, whalers killed roughly 2 million large whales in the Southern Ocean. Some populations, like the Antarctic blue whale, were reduced…

The Conversation

‘Two incredible extreme events’: Antarctic sea ice on cusp of record winter low for second year running

Last year Antarctica’s sea ice was 1.6m sq km below average – the size of Britain, France, Germany and Spain combined. This week it had even less than that

The Guardian - AU

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Giant waves, monster winds and Earth’s strongest current: here’s why the Southern Ocean is a global engine room

The Southern Ocean is wild and dynamic. It experiences Earth’s strongest winds and largest waves. It is home to city-sized icebergs and the biggest ocean current on the globe, as well as tiny turbulent flows that fit inside a teacup.

The Conversation

Floating robots reveal just how much airborne dust fertilises the Southern Ocean – a key climate ‘shock absorber’

The Southern Ocean, a region critical to Earth’s climate, hosts vast blooms of microscopic ocean plants known as phytoplankton. They form the very basis of the Antarctic food web.

The Conversation

Japan-bought patrol ship to ramp up anti-whaling fight

A former fisheries vessel has been bought from the Japanese government by anti-whaling activists for use in the Southern Ocean.

AAP

The vast new whaling ‘mother ship’ that Japan hopes will revive a shrinking industry

A new $47m vessel is preparing for its maiden voyage in coastal waters, but there are fears the Kangei Maru could one day mean a return to hunting in the Southern Ocean

The Guardian - AU

Record voyage to uncover Antarctic climate mysteries

Scientists have set off on an almost 10,000km voyage to uncover information about the Southern Ocean that could shed light on the future of climate change.

AAP

Deep sea dormant volcanoes mapped for first time

Scientists hope mapping long-dormant volcanoes in the Southern Ocean can lead to a better understanding of a crucial current surrounding Antarctica.

AAP

Robot's three-year mission to gather ocean data

Scientists on the CSIRO research vessel Investigator have recovered a deep water robot that has spent three years gathering data in the Southern Ocean.

AAP

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The Conversation

Increasing melting of West Antarctic ice shelves may be unavoidable – new research

The rate at which the warming Southern Ocean melts the West Antarctic ice sheet will speed up rapidly over the course of this century, regardless of how much emissions fall in coming decades, our new research suggests. This ocean-driven melting is expected to increase sea-level rise, with consequences for coastal…

AAP

Evidence of climate change impact on ocean, Antarctica

Climate change has impacted the ecosystem and species of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, a five-year study by 200 scientists shows.

The Conversation

More than 200 scientists from 19 countries want to tell us the Southern Ocean is in trouble

While the Southern Ocean around Antarctica has been warming for decades, the annual extent of winter sea ice seemed relatively stable – compared to the Arctic. In some areas Antarctic sea ice was even increasing.

The Guardian - AU

Is the climate crisis finally catching up with Antarctica? Finding the answer has never been more pressing

Our inability to confidently predict sea level rise between an extremely challenging two metres and a civilisation-ending 10 metres is an exemplar of the problem facing researchers

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The Conversation

Fractured foundations: how Antarctica's 'landfast' ice is dwindling and why that's bad news

There’s more to Antarctic ice than meets the eye. Sea ice is not a uniform crust overlying the salty Southern Ocean.

The Conversation

Antarctic tipping points: the irreversible changes to come if we fail to keep warming below 2℃

The slow-down of the Southern Ocean circulation, a dramatic drop in the extent of sea ice and unprecedented heatwaves are all raising concerns that Antarctica may be approaching tipping points.

The Conversation

Slowing deep Southern Ocean current may be linked to natural climate cycle – but that's no reason to stop worrying about melting Antarctic ice

Our new research in the Antarctic suggests that the vital layer of cold water on the sea bed, which circulates the globe and influences the ocean’s ability to continue absorbing much of the rise in atmospheric heat and greenhouse gas emissions, is heating up and shrinking.

ABC News

Weekend cold snap to see temperatures drop, snow, hail and thunder across southern states

Polar winds will send temperatures diving this weekend, making for the coldest early May weather for three years across the southern and eastern states.

People

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