The first international Symposium on the Southern Ocean Observing System, held last week in Hobart, Australia, ended with an urgent call from hundreds of scientists to significantly expand research in the Southern Ocean.
In view of record-breaking changes and the lack of observational data in the Southern Ocean, a continuous and networked observation system for the Southern Ocean must be established. This is what the 300 scientists who participated in the SOOS Symposium demanded in their joint final declaration. The goal is “to provide an understanding of current conditions, inform predictions of future states, and support policies and regulations for the benefit of society”.
As highlighted in the statement, networking is of particular importance, as no nation alone can provide the research needed to address the climate challenges.
“As the extent of winter sea ice crashes and penguin populations shift dramatically, it is more pressing than ever to have a sustained and coordinated Southern Ocean observing system to understand current conditions and inform predictions of future states,” says Dr Sian Henley, co-chair of SOOS.
Around 300 scientists from 25 countries participated in the symposium, which took place from 14 – 18 August 2023 in Hobart, Australia (we reported). They presented their current research in short talks, for example on changes around sea ice, on plankton, on new technological developments or on CO2 fluxes between the ocean and the atmosphere. In addition, there were numerous plenary lectures and several workshops in which, for example, knowledge gaps were identified and the next steps were presented.
For Dr Henley, this is a crucial time to bring the world together to focus on an ocean that is central to the global climate system.
“To a large extent, the Southern Ocean controls the uptake of human-generated heat and carbon into the ocean and keeps our planet liveable,” Dr Henley said. “It is only due to long-term observations from the last 30 years or so that we now understand how important the Southern Ocean is.”
“However, despite the efforts of long-term programs carried out by several nations, the Southern Ocean remains one of the most under-observed regions on our planet,” she further explains.
Dr Andrew Meijers, member of the SOOS Scientific Board, described the Southern Ocean as the centre of the world when it comes to climate change.
“Global warming is really ocean warming, and the Southern Ocean controls the rate of melt of the Antarctic ice sheet, which is the single greatest uncertainty in projecting future sea level rise. The rapid changes happening in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean right now create an imperative for additional research funding,” says Dr Meijers. “Much of the Southern Ocean — the deep ocean, under ice in winter, the carbon cycle, changes in biology due to sea ice, the interaction of ice sheet and ocean — remains a critical gap in our observing network.”
“We need to create a long-term and continuous program of multinational research that is circumpolar, stretching right around Antarctica,” he calls in conclusion.
Julia Hager, PolarJournal
Link to the SOOS website: https://soos.aq/
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