Overview of the FOCUS study area. Credit: Communications Earth & Environment (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-03673-y
Ocean currents are not just horizontal motions that flow from side to side. There are also vertical currents that act like deep-sea elevators, pushing heat and carbon down into the deep, while bringing up vital nutrients and dissolved gases to the surface.
Our knowledge of these vertical movements has been limited by a lack of detailed data, but new research published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment is providing new insights into how these hidden currents operate in the Southern Ocean.
Using high-resolution satellite data alongside robotic underwater gliders, scientists have shown that these currents are more violent and reach much deeper than anyone previously realized.
Combining satellite and subsurface data
