Whipped and Mixed Warm Clouds in the Deep Sea

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Turbulence is indispensable to redistribute nutrients for all life forms larger than microbial, on land and in the ocean. Yet, the development of deep‐sea turbulence was not studied in three dimensions to date. As a disproportionate laboratory, an array of nearly 3,000 high‐resolution temperature sensors had been installed for three years on the flat 2,500‐m deep bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. The time series from the half‐cubic hectometer mooring‐array allows for the creation of unique movies of deep‐sea water motions. Although temperature differences are typically 0.001°C, variable convection‐turbulence is observed as expected from geothermal heating through the flat seafloor. During about 40% of the time, an additional turbulence, 3 times stronger in magnitude, is observed from slantwise advected warmer waters to pass in turbulent clouds. Besides turbulent clouds and seafloor heating, movies also reveal weakly turbulent interfacial‐wave breakdown that commonly occurs in the open ocean far away from boundaries.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2025gl119998

Authors: Hans van Haren, KM3NeT collaboration

Institution: Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

Language: English

Topic: Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes

Subfield: Oceanography

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190

Funders: Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, European Commission, Fundacja na rzecz Nauki Polskiej, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Generalitat Valenciana, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, Agentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja, ESI Group, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación

OpenAlex ID: W7125109906