High coastal eddy activity around Antarctica revealed by SWOT
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Antarctic marginal seas are crucial for the global climate, but direct observations, especially of mesoscale ocean eddies, remain scarce. Here, by analyzing the unprecedented high-resolution sea surface height data provided by the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, we reveal a widespread presence of mesoscale eddies across the Antarctic continental shelf. The geographic distributions of the observed eddies, along with eddy-resolving model simulations, support the hypothesis that ice shelf basal melting and dense shelf water formation are key processes driving the prevalent eddy activity. Our findings highlight the potential of innovative satellite measurements for monitoring critical Antarctic oceanic processes, and the need to resolve the abundant Antarctic ocean eddies in climate models.
Source: National Science Review
DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag181
Institutions: Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Sun Yat-sen University, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), University of California, Los Angeles, Ministry of Natural Resources, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,000
OpenAlex ID: W7140214636