The CLIVAR Climate Dynamics Panel is now inviting abstracts on " Sources and consequences of Southern Ocean freshening: Toward synthesising observations and modelling " for its session at the 2020 AGU fall meeting. Abstract submission deadline: Wednesday, 29 July 2020 23:59 EDT/03:59 +1GMT.

Please find below the detailed information on the session. We are looking forward to your contributions.

Title: OS024 - Sources and consequences of Southern Ocean freshening: Toward synthesising observations and modelling

Session Description:

The Southern Ocean is consistently freshening, particularly in the upper layers and near the Antarctic coast. Freshening has been attributed to an increase in precipitation, basal melting of ice shelves and enhanced sea-ice melt and export. Freshening has also been observed in the abyssal Antarctic bottom water, formed close to the Antarctic coast and exported globally. The exact proportionality is highly uncertain, but all these processes contribute to increasing sea level rise and the formation of sea ice through strengthening surface stratification. As the climate system continues to warm the relative magnitude of these processes may change leading to uncertain impacts on polar and global climate.

In this innovative session we will join oral presentations with a virtual panel discussion to bring together early career researchers and senior experts of ocean and cryosphere sciences to examine the current state of knowledge on Southern Ocean freshening. We are particularly interested in work closing the gap between observations and modelling.

• GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

• University of Otago

• UCLA

• Norwegian Polar Institute

Note that this session (and likely the whole AGU fall meeting) will be held virtually!