Researchers reveal: Invisible waves change the Arctic dramatically!

Researchers reveal: Invisible waves change the Arctic dramatically!

Bremerhaven, Deutschland - A team of researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven has devoted itself to a fascinating topic: the internal heavy waves in the ocean. These huge waves, which often reach the size of high -rise buildings, play an important role in mixing the sea and thus also influence global heat exchange and sea currents. Oceanographer Friederike Pollmann leads the project that examines the effects of climate change on these waves in the Arctic. Surprisingly, it was assumed for a long time that there is hardly any internal waves in the Arctic, since the ice cream calms the surface.

The situation has changed, however: due to climate change, the arctic sea ice melts and thus changes the conditions for the development of internal waves. Pollmann has set up the hypothesis that less sea ice leads to more wind that encourages internal waves. This reinforced mixture could bring warm layers of water up and accelerate the melting of the ice. A vicious circle that would result in faster ice loss and at the same time the global warming could continue.

The latest developments in the Arctic

The current situation regarding sea ice cover in the Arctic is alarming. In February 2023, the Arctic sea ice extension was 14.31 million km² and was the most seventh value since 1979. This data was confirmed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), which for the same period of around 14.18 million km², which represents the third-lowest February value in the records. Such values show a critical negative trend of 2.3 % per decade.

The role of internal waves

Internal waves, as examined in Bremerhaven's research, are crucial for the dynamics of the ocean. They arise when tidal currents flow over underwater back and influence the distribution of heat, nutrients and gases. In order to better understand these complex processes, a laboratory test was recently carried out. A model of the ocean was built up to observe the energy transmission through internal waves. Innovative techniques such as the Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) were used to make the waves visible and to pursue the energy movements within the waves.

The ocean remains a central player in climate events, but the mechanisms behind the mixing are complex. A better understanding of the internal waves could not only improve the prediction of future ocean conditions, but also contribute to clarifying the role of climate change in marine ecosystems, which is extremely important to master the challenges of our time.

in connection with this, Friederike Pollmann emphasizes the need to check her hypothesis on virtual simulations. The Emmy Noether young group "Artemics" will be significantly involved for this. The coming years could be decisive for how we understand and approach the sea ice and the dynamics of the ocean in climate change.

For more information on this topic, you can read the following articles: t-online.de, wetterdienst.de and scisimple.com.