Water may appear to be a simple substance, but in reality, the world’s oceans are more complex than we can imagine. Far from being uniform, ocean waters are layered and interlinked, giving rise to various natural phenomena such as waterfalls, rivers, and massive blobs that remain hidden from plain view.
Recently, scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They have identified a massive water mass, stretching from the tip of Brazil to the Gulf of Guinea. This massive blob, known as the Atlantic Equatorial Water, had eluded researchers until now.
According to Viktor Zhurbas, a physicist and oceanologist, the discovery of this water mass has helped to complete the understanding of the basic water masses of the World Ocean. He noted that the equatorial circulation and mixing in all three oceans have common features, and the identification of this new water mass has contributed to a more accurate description of the phenomenological pattern.
Ocean water is a patchwork of interlinked layers and masses which mix and split apart
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The Atlantic Equatorial Water is formed by the mixing of separate bodies of water by currents along the equator. Oceanographers distinguish such masses by analyzing the relationship between temperature and salinity, which determines the density of seawater. This discovery is significant as it provides experts with a better understanding of how oceans mix and transport heat, oxygen, and nutrients around the world.
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