COSEE Ocean Systems: News
Amount of coldest Antarctic water near ocean floor decreasing for decades
Description: Scientists have found a large reduction in the amount of the coldest deep ocean water, called Antarctic Bottom Water using data collected from 1980 to 2011. Antarctic Bottom Water is formed in a few distinct locations around Antarctica, where seawater is cooled by the overlying air and made saltier by ice formation. The dense water then sinks to the sea floor and spreads northward. These findings will likely stimulate new research on the causes of this change. [Source: NOAA News]
URL: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20120320_antarcticbottomwater.html
Availability: Full Text
Source: NOAA News
Publish Date: 3/20/2012
Reading Level: Basic
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