Ocean circulation refers to the large-scale, coherent movement of seawater driven primarily by wind stress, density gradients (thermohaline processes), Earth’s rotation, and basin geometry. It encompasses wind-driven gyres, western boundary currents, and the global overturning circulation that links surface and deep waters across ocean basins. Ocean circulation redistributes heat, salt, carbon, nutrients, and tracers, thereby regulating climate, biogeochemical cycles, and sea level. It is studied using in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, numerical models, and theory, with key research focusing on circulation variability, its sensitivity to forcing (e.g., greenhouse gas–induced warming and freshwater input), and associated feedbacks in the climate system.
The Gulf of Mexico, a regional ocean, is hugged by the southeastern United States and a large stretch of the Mexican coast, making it very important for both countries. The area helps bring goods to local and global markets, ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 8, 2025
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Billions of years ago, water flowed across Mars. Most scientists agree the red planet had rivers. But did those rivers flow into an ocean? New research from the University of Arkansas found strong evidence in Mars' geology ...
Astrobiology
Sep 30, 2025
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Deep in the heart of Central Asia, the Kunlun Mountains form a vital barrier on the northern Tibetan Plateau. Their rainfall is a lifeline, feeding the oases and rivers of the arid Tarim Basin. While scientists have mapped ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 19, 2025
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Global shipping, sea currents and habitat factors are driving the spread of Indo-Pacific fish species in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a new study published in the journal NeoBiota.
Plants & Animals
Sep 17, 2025
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27
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is an enormous loop of ocean current in the Atlantic Ocean that carries warmer waters north and colder waters south, helping to regulate the climate in many regions. ...
Under high-emission scenarios, the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), a key system of ocean currents that also includes the Gulf Stream, could shut down after the year 2100. This is the conclusion of a new ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 28, 2025
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Using geochemical analyses of marine sediments, researchers have been able to quantitatively reconstruct the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation over the past 12,000 years. The international research team, led by ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 14, 2025
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Anomalies in temperature and salinity that originate in the midlatitude North Atlantic can affect the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the Nordic Seas up to a decade later. A new study published in Communications ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 11, 2025
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147
In a world affected by climate change, the Southern Ocean plays an outsized role. It absorbs up to 40% of the human-caused emissions taken up by the oceans while also being home to some of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.
Earth Sciences
Jul 30, 2025
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19
Deep below the surface of the ocean, unseen waves roil and churn the water. These internal waves, traveling between water layers of different temperatures and densities, draw cold, nutrient-rich water up from the depths and ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 25, 2025
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