In addition to the enormous zonal transport, the Southern Ocean plays an important part in the the meridional overturning of watermasses: here North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) surfaces from the deep ocean and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) and Antarctic Bottom Water (AAWB) ventilate the ocean's interior.

The ocean surrounding Antarctica is therefore of major importance for understanding the state and variability of the global climate. As a consequence a large amount of research is focussed in this inhospitable area. In particular a number of choke points in the ACC have been identified as part of World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), where it is possible to of make accurate estimates of zonal transports.

One such choke point , the Drake Passage(designated as WOCE section SR1), has been the focus of a series of hydrographic sections undertaken by the SOC in conjunction with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). This provides a growing time-series of transport and drake passage properties.

More information ...

Drake passage science on section SR1
Drake passage cruise reports
Time series data from Drake Passage
Other science in the Southern Ocean
Links and contacts for Drake Passage & Southern Ocean science