SOS-Zephyr will augment and strengthen existing observation systems to provide surface vector winds at temporal and spatial resolutions optimized for investigating the rapidly evolving Southern Ocean (SO) air-sea CO2 exchange process. In the SO, windier and rougher conditions than ever before observed are bringing deep ancient carbon to the surface and outgassing in the winter. The SO is becoming an unexpected carbon source that is currently poorly measured due to the infrequent wind observations (two each day). SOS-Zephyr will fill a critical observation gap in ocean wind measurements in the SO; these observations will enable us to make a major advance toward closing the global carbon budget. Understanding and predicting the biogeochemical, physical, and ecosystem-scale responses to the atmospheric carbon dioxide gas (CO2) invasion and accompanying ocean acidification caused by human activities are essential.
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