Unveiling the Hidden Eddy Field of the Southern Ocean

Abstract

Observational and modeling studies indicate that mesoscale and submesoscale eddies are important circulation features within ice shelf cavities on the Antarctic continental slope and in the open ocean. Not only are eddies a pathway for warm water to impinge on ice shelves but their dynamic interaction at the ice-ocean boundary also increases basal melting. By combining observational data and model output, Kosty et al. (2025), https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JC021781 provides an important first characterization of the subsurface eddy field in the seasonally ice-covered Southern Ocean. Their analysis reveals distinct spatial variability between cyclones and anticyclones, which could affect heat and salt fluxes, water column stability, and the seasonal extent of sea ice. With recent Southern Ocean studies indicating warming subsurface waters, eddy-ice interactions are potentially poised to exert a substantial influence on the Southern Ocean cryosphere.