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We have made good progress overnight and are making our way steadily to the south. We are now crossing the Subantarctic Front, one of the main branches of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or ACC. The ACC is the largest current in the world ocean, carrying about 135 - 150 million cubic metres of water per second from west to east around Antarctica. (Equivalent to 500 billion stubbies of your favourite soft drink - each second.) The current connects the ocean basins and has a profound influence on the nature of the global ocean circulation and the climate system. The Subantarctic Front is the boundary between warm, salty water to the north and cold, fresh water to the south. Ocean fronts like this one are often hot spots of biological productivity, and the number and diversity of birds has increased as we get into the frontal zone. Learning more about the ACC (e.g. how it changes in time, its role in the climate system, and how it influences biology) is one of the main goals of the voyage.
REGARDS: Steve, Fred and Penny
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.