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Giant Ocean Vortex Discovered

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the holy-overstatement-batman dept.

Darkman, Walkin Dude writes "Dubbed a "death trap" by a team of scientists from The University of Western Australia Murdoch University, CSIRO and three American, French and Spanish research institutions, a 200km in diameter and 1000m deep ocean vortex has been discovered off the Rottnest Canyon. Visible from space, scientists claim is has the potential to affect the local climate and the climate further abroad, the vortex is acting as a "death trap" by sucking in fish larvae from closer to the shore."

1 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What's Causing It? by Tallweirdo · · Score: 5, Informative
    The vortex is probably just a result of the Leeuwin Current (linked article contains satellite thermal pictures showing eddies in the current).

    The Leeuwin Current is a permanent feature of Western Australia's waters and reaches it's peak in the autumn and winter (so it is at its peak now).

    From the linked article "The Leeuwin Current rarely flows around the eastern side of Rottnest, but it frequently bathes the western and southwestern sides, influencing the flora and fauna there. Sea temperatures in those regions in winter are several degrees higher than against the mainland coast."