{"id":59926,"date":"2023-05-26T15:39:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T03:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=59926"},"modified":"2025-05-20T14:03:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T02:03:31","slug":"antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/","title":{"rendered":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Antarctica sets the stage for the world\u2019s greatest waterfall. The action takes place beneath the surface of the ocean. Here, trillions of tonnes of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off the continental shelf and sink to great depths. This Antarctic \u201cbottom water\u201d then spreads north along the sea floor in deep ocean currents, before slowly rising, thousands of kilometres away.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Greenpeace ship the Esperanza in Fournier Bay, Anvers Island in Antarctica. \" class=\"wp-image-59933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/c3257217-gp0stul2i_medium_res.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Greenpeace ship the Esperanza in Fournier Bay, Anvers Island in Antarctica. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>In this way, Antarctica drives a global network of ocean currents called the \u201coverturning circulation\u201d that redistributes heat, carbon and nutrients around the globe. The overturning is crucial to keeping Earth\u2019s climate stable. It\u2019s also the main way oxygen reaches the deep ocean.<\/p>\n\n<p>But there are signs this circulation is slowing down and it\u2019s happening decades earlier than predicted. This slowdown has the potential to disrupt the connection between the Antarctic coasts and the deep ocean, with profound consequences for Earth\u2019s climate, sea level and marine life.<\/p>\n\n<p>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41558-023-01667-8\">new research<\/a>, published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, uses real-world observations to decipher how and why the deep ocean around Antarctica has changed over the past three decades. Our measurements show the overturning circulation has slowed by almost a third (30%) and deep ocean oxygen levels are declining. This is happening even earlier than <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.ametsoc.org\/view\/journals\/clim\/28\/8\/jcli-d-14-00381.1.xml\">climate models<\/a> predicted.<\/p>\n\n<p>We found melting of Antarctic ice is disrupting the formation of Antarctic bottom water. The meltwater makes Antarctic surface waters fresher, less dense, and therefore less likely to sink. This puts the brakes on the overturning circulation.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"overflow_movie_short\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/830053753?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p>Now that\u2019s a waterfall: dense water flowing from the continental shelf into the deep ocean in the Ross Sea. Consortium for Ocean-Sea Ice Modelling in Australia (COSIMA) and National Computational Infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-does-this-matter\">Why does this matter?<\/h2>\n\n<p>As the flow of bottom water slows, the supply of oxygen to the deep ocean declines. The shrinking oxygen-rich bottom water layer is then replaced by warmer waters that are lower in oxygen, further reducing oxygen levels.<\/p>\n\n<p>Ocean animals, large and small, respond to even small changes in oxygen. Deep-ocean animals are adapted to low oxygen conditions but still have to breathe. Losses of oxygen may cause them to seek refuge in other regions or adapt their behaviour. Models suggest we are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-021-22584-4\">locked in<\/a> to a contraction of the \u201cviable\u201d environment available to these animals with an expected decline of up to 25%.<\/p>\n\n<p>Slowdown of the overturning may also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41558-022-01555-7\">intensify<\/a> global warming. The overturning circulation carries carbon dioxide and heat to the deep ocean, where it is stored and hidden from the atmosphere. As the ocean storage capacity is reduced, more carbon dioxide and heat are left in the atmosphere. This feedback accelerates global warming.<\/p>\n\n<p>Reductions in the amount of Antarctic bottom water reaching the ocean floor also increases <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.ametsoc.org\/view\/journals\/clim\/26\/16\/jcli-d-12-00834.1.xml\">sea levels<\/a> because the warmer water that replaces it takes up more space (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/thermal-expansion\">thermal expansion<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/528179\/original\/file-20230525-25-a15xuo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/528179\/original\/file-20230525-25-a15xuo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"A schematic diagram summarising how and why bottom water varies in the Australian Antarctic Basin.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Freshening of shelf waters reduces the flow of dense water and slows the deepest parts of the overturning circulation while also reducing deep oxygenation. Kathy Gunn, Author provided<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-signs-of-a-worrying-change\">Signs of a worrying change<\/h2>\n\n<p>Making observations of bottom water is challenging. The Southern Ocean is remote and home to the strongest winds and biggest waves on the planet. Access is also restricted by sea ice during winter, when bottom water forms.<\/p>\n\n<p>This means observations of the deep Southern Ocean are sparse. Nevertheless, repeated full-depth measurements taken from ship voyages have provided glimpses into the changes underway in the deep ocean. The bottom water layer is <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.ametsoc.org\/view\/journals\/clim\/26\/16\/jcli-d-12-00834.1.xml\">getting warmer, less dense and thinner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial view taken off James Ross Island in the Weddell Sea, in the Antarctic (see GPS). \" class=\"wp-image-59929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/90cf5d73-gp0strm12_medium_res.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aerial view taken off James Ross Island in the Weddell Sea, in the Antarctic (see GPS). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Satellite data shows the Antarctic ice sheet is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1812883116\">shrinking<\/a>. Ocean measurements taken downstream of regions of rapid melt show the meltwater is <a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1029\/2021JC017808\">reducing the salinity<\/a> (and density) of coastal waters. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<lite-youtube style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/AmSovbt5Bho\/hqdefault.jpg');\" videoid=\"AmSovbt5Bho\" params=\"rel=0\"><\/lite-youtube>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p> Antarctic ice mass loss over the last few decades based on satellite data, showing that between 2002 and 2020, Antarctica shed an average of ~150 billion metric tonnes of ice per year, adding meltwater to the ocean and raising sea-levels (Source: NASA).<\/p>\n\n<p>These signs point to a worrying change, but there are still no direct observations of the deep overturning circulation.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-did-we-do\">What did we do?<\/h2>\n\n<p>We combined different types of observations in a new way, taking advantage of each of their strengths.<\/p>\n\n<p>The full-depth measurements collected by ships provide snapshots of ocean density, but are usually repeated about once a decade. Moored instruments, on the other hand, provide continuous measurements of density and speed, but only for a limited time at a particular location.<\/p>\n\n<p>We developed a new approach that combines ship data, mooring records, and a high resolution numerical simulation to calculate the strength of Antarctic bottom water flow and how much oxygen it transports to the deep ocean.<\/p>\n\n<p>Our study focused on a deep basin south of Australia that receives bottom water from several sources. These sources lie downstream of large meltwater inputs, so this region is likely to provide an early warning of climate-induced deep ocean changes.<\/p>\n\n<p>The findings are striking. Over three decades, between 1992 and 2017, the overturning circulation of this region slowed by almost a third (30%) causing less oxygen to reach the deep. This slowing was caused by freshening close to Antarctica.<\/p>\n\n<p>We found this freshening reduces the density and volume of Antarctic bottom water formed, as well as the speed at which it flows.<\/p>\n\n<p>The observed slowdown would have been even greater if not for a short-lived climate event that drove a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41561-020-00655-3\">partial and temporary recovery of bottom water formation<\/a>. The recovery, driven by increased salinity, further illustrates the sensitivity of bottom water formation to salinity changes on the Antarctic continental shelf.<\/p>\n\n<p>Worryingly, these observations show that changes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-05762-w\">predicted to occur by 2050<\/a> are already underway. https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/812260307 Abyssal ocean warming driven by Antarctic overturning slowdown, Credit: Matthew England and Qian Li.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-next\">What next?<\/h2>\n\n<p>Ice loss from Antarctica is expected to continue, even accelerate, as the world warms. We are <a href=\"https:\/\/library.wmo.int\/index.php?lvl=notice_display&amp;id=22272#.ZGNbiRZBxWw\">almost certain to cross the 1.5\u2103 global warming threshold by 2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>More ice loss will mean more freshening, so we can anticipate the slowdown in circulation and deep oxygen losses will continue.<\/p>\n\n<p>The consequences of a slowdown will not be limited to Antarctica. The overturning circulation extends throughout the global ocean and influences the pace of climate change and sea level rise. It will also be disruptive and damaging for marine life.<\/p>\n\n<p>Our research provides yet another reason to work harder \u2013 and faster \u2013 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/kathy-gunn-1441930\">Kathy Gunn<\/a>, , <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/csiro-1035\">CSIRO<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/matthew-england-116217\">Matthew England<\/a>, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS), <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/unsw-sydney-1414\">UNSW Sydney<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/steve-rintoul-6253\">Steve Rintoul<\/a>, CSIRO Fellow, <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/csiro-1035\">CSIRO<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p><em>This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/antarctic-alarm-bells-observations-reveal-deep-ocean-currents-are-slowing-earlier-than-predicted-206289\">original article<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-beige-100-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\">This article\u00a0is a guest post and doesn&#8217;t necessarily represent the views of Greenpeace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Antarctica sets the stage for the world\u2019s greatest waterfall. The action takes place beneath the surface of the ocean. Here, trillions of tonnes of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":59931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"p4-page-type":[6],"class_list":["post-59926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-greenpeace","p4-page-type-story"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.8 (Yoast SEO v26.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Antarctica sets the stage for the world\u2019s greatest waterfall. The action takes place beneath the surface of the ocean. Here, trillions of tonnes of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Greenpeace Aotearoa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/greenpeace.nz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nick Young\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GreenpeaceNZ\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@GreenpeaceNZ\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nick Young\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nick Young\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221\"},\"headline\":\"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\"},\"wordCount\":1143,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Greenpeace\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\",\"name\":\"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":900,\"caption\":\"General views of scenery and icebergs in Paradise Harbour in Antarctica. Greenpeace is back in the Antarctic on the last stage of the 'Protect The Oceans' Expedition. We have teamed up with a group of scientists to investigate and document the impacts the climate crisis is already having in this area. *This picture was taken in 2020 during the Antarctic leg of the Pole to Pole expedition under the Dutch permit number RWS-2019\/40813.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/\",\"name\":\"Greenpeace Aotearoa\",\"description\":\"Our mission is to ensure Earth\u2019s ability to nurture life in all its diversity.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221\",\"name\":\"Nick Young\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/a\/ACg8ocJXAN_-aMrfD7T6ibEnGzjWzprHxw_WFoPiQQUe__I7aSNfu5_q=s96-c\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/a\/ACg8ocJXAN_-aMrfD7T6ibEnGzjWzprHxw_WFoPiQQUe__I7aSNfu5_q=s96-c\",\"caption\":\"Nick Young\"},\"description\":\"I've been doing digital at Greenpeace since before Facebook. Now the head of communications at Greenpeace Aotearoa. Follow me on Bluesky or Threads\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org.nz\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/author\/nyoung\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted","og_description":"Antarctica sets the stage for the world\u2019s greatest waterfall. The action takes place beneath the surface of the ocean. Here, trillions of tonnes of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off&hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/","og_site_name":"Greenpeace Aotearoa","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/greenpeace.nz","article_published_time":"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Nick Young","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@GreenpeaceNZ","twitter_site":"@GreenpeaceNZ","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nick Young","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/"},"author":{"name":"Nick Young","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221"},"headline":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted","datePublished":"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/"},"wordCount":1143,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg","articleSection":["Greenpeace"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/","url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/","name":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg","datePublished":"2023-05-26T03:39:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-20T02:03:31+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2023\/05\/2268ab26-gp0stuhpr_medium_res.jpg","width":1200,"height":900,"caption":"General views of scenery and icebergs in Paradise Harbour in Antarctica. Greenpeace is back in the Antarctic on the last stage of the 'Protect The Oceans' Expedition. We have teamed up with a group of scientists to investigate and document the impacts the climate crisis is already having in this area. *This picture was taken in 2020 during the Antarctic leg of the Pole to Pole expedition under the Dutch permit number RWS-2019\/40813."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/antarctic-currents-slowing-earlier-than-predicted\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/","name":"Greenpeace Aotearoa","description":"Our mission is to ensure Earth\u2019s ability to nurture life in all its diversity.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/cd74b3cb7be5f23213b8b83730534221","name":"Nick Young","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/a\/ACg8ocJXAN_-aMrfD7T6ibEnGzjWzprHxw_WFoPiQQUe__I7aSNfu5_q=s96-c","contentUrl":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/a\/ACg8ocJXAN_-aMrfD7T6ibEnGzjWzprHxw_WFoPiQQUe__I7aSNfu5_q=s96-c","caption":"Nick Young"},"description":"I've been doing digital at Greenpeace since before Facebook. Now the head of communications at Greenpeace Aotearoa. Follow me on Bluesky or Threads","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org.nz"],"url":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/author\/nyoung\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59926"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70392,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926\/revisions\/70392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59926"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=59926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}