Sunrise Iceberg (IMAGE)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Sunrise Iceberg

Caption

In some places along the Antarctic coast, ice formation causes seawater to grow saltier and therefore denser, so that it sinks to the sea floor. Known as the Antarctic Bottom Waters (AABW), these deep, cold waters play a critical role in regulating circulation, temperature, and availability of oxygen and nutrients throughout the world's oceans.

Credit

Photo by Alison Macdonald, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

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