properties of ocean water

The water masses analysed include Antarctic Bottom Water (see Fig. 1 below), which forms under sea ice off the Antarctic coast, sinks to the ocean’s abyss, and then flows northward into each of the major ocean basins. Another focus was Antarctic Intermediate Water and Subantarctic Mode Water, both of which contribute to a substantial component of the ocean’s uptake of carbon dioxide. Quantifying the natural variability of Southern Ocean water masses, including their properties and overturning rates, is vital for detecting anthropogenic climate change.