The invisible soup of currents that feeds our planet
In short: Beneath the surface lies a chaotic, salty mélange of moving water. While massive ocean gyres dominate our maps, a smaller, hidden network of eddies and vortices acts as a vital transport system for life. Scientists are now using artificial intelligence to untangle these invisible threads.
Oceanographers refer to these small-scale processes as the "submesoscale." Unlike the massive currents often depicted in textbooks, submesoscale features occur across relatively smaller scales of about 10 kilometers (6 miles). This "soup" consists of active currents, eddies, vortices, upwelling, and downwelling. These movements are not merely aesthetic; they serve a critical biological function by transporting vital nutrients across the sea and moving important molecules, such as carbon, into the ocean depths. These specific movements include upwelling and downwelling actions. They help move molecules like carbon to the depths.
Because these patterns are often impossible to discern with the naked eye, researchers like Jing He use artificial intelligence to comb through massive datasets. By applying AI, scientists can identify specific "threads" within the watery matrix, revealing how they support local marine ecosystems. This data-driven approach allows for a much more granular understanding of the ocean's hidden architecture than traditional observation methods provide. The AI helps find patterns that are not visible to humans. It allows for a study of their significance to local marine ecosystems.
The complexity of these currents has recently inspired a unique cross-disciplinary collaboration between science and art. In 2023, artist Janine Wong partnered with He under the Synergy Project to visualize this data. Using a chemistry-intensive technique called marbling, Wong translated the scientific perspective of submesoscale flow into a physical artbook titled "Submesoscale Soup." The goal of the project is to highlight that even though these intricate marine pathways remain unseen by humans, they are fundamental components of the ocean's beauty and health. Wong used color to bring this hidden mixture to life. The project was part of a science-to-art program.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Unseen Ocean | The Most Amazing Places in the Ocean | Travel Video 4K
- Also: Unseen Ocean | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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