Articles | Volume 21, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1609-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1609-2025
Research article
 | 
30 Jul 2025
Research article |  | 30 Jul 2025

Satellite-derived steric height in the Southern Ocean: trends, variability, and climate drivers

Jennifer Cocks, Alessandro Silvano, Alberto C. Naveira Garabato, Oana Dragomir, Noémie Schifano, Anna E. Hogg, and Alice Marzocchi

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Short summary
Heat and freshwater fluxes in the Southern Ocean mediate global ocean circulation and abyssal ventilation. These fluxes manifest as changes in steric height: sea level anomalies from changes in ocean density. We compute the steric height anomaly of the Southern Ocean using satellite data and validate it against in situ observations. We analyse trends and variability in steric height, drawing links to climate variability, and discuss the effectiveness of the method, highlighting issues with its application.
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