Why does MOSES focus on ocean eddies?
The
large-scale ocean circulation is closely linked to eddies, fronts and
even turbulence on a much smaller scale. While a full understanding of
their complex interaction is hindered by the lack of observations
bridging the different scales, it is increasingly clear that ocean
eddies at scales of 10 m to 200 km have a significant influence on
processes of global importance.
Ocean eddies mediate up to
approximately 50 % of the particle export in subpolar oceans and
significantly influence phytoplankton production with a likely
contribution of several tens of percent. Phytoplankton is the base of
the marine food chain, produces a large portion of atmospheric oxygen
and is a key player in the uptake or release of carbon. Ocean eddies
also transport energy from the large-scale ocean circulation down to
turbulence and are efficient in mixing water masses in the top layer of
the ocean. While the global significance of ocean eddies has been
recently suggested by numerical models, observations at smaller scales
are very scarce. It is a particular challenge to achieve in situ
observations with sufficient resolution.